Your Love
by Jill2
Summary: Set at the end of the 19th century; Angelus stalks Buffy, but finds himself falling in love with her ...; It's one of my older stories and - uh - if you're a fan of either Riley or Darla, you might not want to read this. They are not silly or stupid in th
1. Part 1-10

  
FIC: Your Love   
Author: Jill  
Disclaimer: Would I write this if I owned them? Just think!!  
Rating: R to be sure.  
Spoilers: none, you just have to know the characters of the show  
Summary: Angelus and Buffy meet  
Timeline: it's the year 1890  
Feedback: is begged for! Please, Please, Please!  
Dedication: To Kathy and Helen who said the idea was good enough for a story.  
  
  
Part 1  
  
He was on the hunt again. There was nothing comparable to this feeling of being   
the hunter and stalking your prey. For a vampire anyway. It was the deepest,   
strongest and purest emotion for a creature of the darkness.   
  
And he was a master of it.   
  
Tonight he was on his own. He was sick of William's twisted humor, Drusilla's   
crazy visions and even Darla couldn't give him any satisfaction. Not that night.   
She was his sire, his lover, his companion, and their connection was as deep as   
possible for vampires but tonight he needed to be on his own. It was a deep   
feeling he wasn't able to put into words but it was there and over the years he   
had learned to trust his gut.  
  
The girl he was following through the dark streets of London wasn't alone. She   
was accompanied by a man and another girl. They all did seem quite young and he   
licked his lips thinking about the fresh blood that he would soon taste on his   
tongue. She was pretty he decided, a pity he had to kill her. Maybe he could   
have a little bit fun with her before. Sex with a human was a thrill he enjoyed   
from time to time. Maybe she was even a virgin. Most of the girls of her age   
were, well at least the sort of girl she seemed to be. Sure virgins weren't   
experienced but to possess them and then to extinguish their life shortly after   
was a special pleasure.   
  
His eyes were glowing yellow for a short moment. The anticipation would have made his heart beating faster if it was possible.   
  
She was tiny and blonde and the laughter was like music and sounded in his ears   
now that she was talking to her girlfriend. They were carrying some books,   
obviously they'd been shopping in one of the book-stores.   
  
He moved closer to listen to their conversation.  
  
"Aren't you excited that you're going to be wed in four weeks," the red-headed   
girl said in a happy voice.   
  
"Yes, very happy," the blonde replied, but there was a tone in her voice that   
said she wasn't completely sure about it.   
  
"Riley is such a nice man. So handsome and with such good manners. Giles was   
right to choose him for you." the red head smiled at the boy who was with them   
and he nodded in response.  
  
"Your father is a very wise man," the boy said. "He immediately saw that you and   
he were made for each other."  
  
"Hmmmm," the blond made. "Probably. I'm not sure though," she suddenly admitted.  
  
"Why?," the red-head asked surprised. "I think he's perfect."  
  
"Well, I don't know," the blonde sighed. "Isn't a relationship meant to be   
exciting and ... well, passionate? I mean Riley is a good man, he's always nice   
and friendly, but ...," she shrugged slightly.   
  
"What do you feel when he kisses you?," the other girl asked.  
  
"It's nice and all, but ... I just have the feeling there's missing something.   
Plus I have a hard time picturing me as his nice and quiet wife, giving birth to   
and raising his children. My mind is full of ideas, of things I want to see," her voice became passionate. "I know it's not proper for a young lady to think that way, but I want to see the world, I want to do important things. Something like that. I'm afraid that I'll be bored to death, just playing the nice wife of an army captain."  
  
"I see," the red-head nodded. "Maybe you just want too much. Women are meant to   
be at their husband's side, supporting them and raise their children. With Riley   
you will have a save future. He's also from a very good family and they've   
money."  
  
"Sure," the blond replied, frustration in her voice now. "Well, whatever I want.   
It seems there's no way it'll come true. My father has planned my life and as I   
have no money of my own I will have to follow his decisions."   
  
The vampire stopped and looked after them while they slowly disappeared in the   
darkness. He had heard enough. No he wouldn't kill her tonight. There would be   
much more fun in playing with her. He knew he was handsome and he was a master of   
passion too. So maybe she was just the right girl for a while. He turned and   
began to laugh. He would find his food elsewhere tonight.   
  
This girl could wait. He would have his way with her and kill her later. Some   
things were worth waiting for.  
  
With another laugh he followed a shop-keeper into a dark alley.  
  
  
Part 2  
  
He kept watching her during the following nights, to learn about her habits, her   
life, her friends. It was like a game and he loved it. If he hadn't happened to   
become a vampire he might have been a good spy. He chuckled at the thought.   
  
He knew he was obsessed with her already, and he loved it. His lover on the other hand. Well, that was definitely another chapter. Darla was pissed. Beyond pissed actually. It didn't bother him, not really. Vampires had no consciousness, no human feelings, and he was grateful for it. It was an easy way to live. He could still remember the struggles of his pathetic human soul, the deep hurt because of his father's disapproval. Oh boy, he had paid everything back and loved it.   
  
Darla had shown him a new life, a new world and although his name was now well   
feared amongst the vampire community he was still with her. Sires and childer   
usually had strong connections but Darla and he had something special.   
  
And so she sensed something was happening to him, she didn't understand what, but she could feel it. He'd been obsessed before, Drusilla was the best example, but it had never touched his connection with his sire. That he had a new obsession she knew the first night when he came back. He hadn't even been interested in touching her, so she had to find her pleasure elsewhere that night. And the following nights too, he hadn't laid a finger on her for more than two weeks, leaving their lair as soon as it was dark and coming back at dawn. He never talked about it and for the first time in their long relationship Darla had the feeling he was slipping from her influence.   
  
So she felt she had a right to be pissed. Kicking at a chair in the middle of the room, she scowled inwardly. William, laying on the bed, a smoke in his hand and his one arm loosely wrapped around Drusilla who was dreaming beside him,   
chuckled: "The boy-toy gone again?"  
  
"Shut up," she yelled and crossed her arms in front of her chest.   
  
"Maybe you should just follow him to see what this is all about," he suggested.   
  
"I can't," she clenched her teeth. "He would immediately sense my presence. Or   
yours for that matter. He's not stupid," a proud smile spread across her face.   
What a great childe he was and what a skilled lover. Unconsciously licking her   
lips she sat down and closed her eyes for a moment. "I need a spy. Someone I can   
trust."  
  
"Trust," William grinned. "You'll find nobody. Vampires aren't trustworthy."  
  
"I know," she hissed.  
  
"Why are you so nervous?," he tilted his head and glanced at the dark haired girl at his side. "He's been obsessed before, he'll come back."  
  
Darla only looked at him. If only she could be so sure.  
  
*******  
  
He was standing at his usual spot. She would come here soon, getting books for   
her father again. He had watched her for two weeks now and knew more about her   
habits and her daily routine. He could see her entering the bookstore, talking to the shop-keeper and then turning to leave.   
  
The vampire took a deep unnecessary breath and pushed himself off of the wall. It was time for the next step.  
  
Keeping his eyes on the ground he approached her. She was looking into the   
enlightened shops, not paying attention to her surroundings. It was perfect, he   
thought, absolutely perfect. One step, another step and the last and then.  
  
"Oh," she exclaimed when her body collided with another and the books fell on the pavement.   
  
"I'm so sorry," the vampire apologized. "I wasn't paying attention."  
  
"No," she was looking up at him and their eyes met for the first time. For a   
moment she almost forgot to breathe and she couldn't talk. Clearing her throat   
she said: "I wasn't paying attention either. I'm sorry too."  
  
He smiled slightly: "That makes us even I think."  
  
"Indeed it does," she replied giving him a smile of her own and blushing   
slightly.   
  
"I hope they aren't ruined," he said.  
  
"What?," she asked confused.  
  
"Those," he chuckled slightly at her confusion and pointed towards the books on   
the ground.  
  
"Oh," she blushed a little bit more. "No, I'm sure they are fine. They're pretty   
hard after all." God, I sound like a stupid little girl, she scowled herself   
inwardly.  
  
He bent down and picked the three books up: "There," he held them in his hands.   
"I think you're right. They seem fine. I could carry them for you, if you want."  
  
"No," she replied quickly. "I mean, you don't have to." Closing her eyes for a   
moment and calling herself stupid again she added: "But I wouldn't mind though."  
  
He smiled again: "Fine. Maybe I should introduce myself first. My name is Liam,   
Liam Flynn."  
  
"Eliza," she held out her hand for him. "Eliza Giles. But my friends call me   
Buffy."  
  
"Buffy, hm?," he chuckled again then took her gloved hand with his and planted a   
feather light kiss on the back of it.   
  
Buffy could feel her heart quickening it's pace and a shiver run down her spine   
and she almost moaned when he let go of her hand. God, what on earth was   
happening to her? "Yes, Buffy," she nodded and then sighed. "It was my father's   
idea when I was little. I tried to get rid of it, but it was in vain and now I'm   
so used to it that I don't care anymore. I even like it."  
  
"Buffy," he repeated her name, and a warm feeling sprread in her chest hearing hisvoice saying it. "So I'll call you Buffy, but then you must call me Liam."  
  
"Alright." She was surprised by his attitude. Usually the men were more formal   
and stiff, Liam seemed to be different and she liked it. He was so not at all   
like Riley.  
  
"Shall we walk then?," he asked.  
  
"Oh," she had completely forgotten she was on her way home. Giles was certainly   
waiting for her. "Yes, of course. Flynn," she said after a while. "Are you   
Irish?"  
  
"Yes, but I haven't been there for ... er ... a long time."   
  
"Because I cannot hear an Irish accent," she looked at him for a moment from the   
side.   
  
"Ah," he smiled again. "You are from London?"  
  
"No," she shook her head. "I'm born in Salisbury, that's southwest of London. A   
wonderful place. But my father has to be in London for business reasons, he has   
a company here. We live in London for four years now."  
  
"I see," he replied and thought about what to ask next, when she surprised him   
with her question.  
  
"This might be forward and not ladylike, but I've rarely been what everyone   
expected," she giggled slightly. "What I want to ask you. Are you free tomorrow   
night?"  
  
"Pardon?"  
  
"It's that my aunt is giving a ball you see. And she lacks gentlemen. She's   
invited too many ladies, so we need more of the other sex." She bit her lower   
lip and he thought that it looked beautiful.  
  
"Well," he faked hesitation. He couldn't just say "yes", that would've been too obvious.  
  
"Oh please. You could also bring a friend."  
  
"No," he replied almost too quickly. He didn't even want to think about William   
on a society ball. The picture was so ridiculous that he almost burst out   
laughing. "Alright, I'll come. If you tell me where it is?"  
  
"I will. It's Lady Carpenter's house, maybe you know it."  
  
"Indeed, I do. What time?"  
  
"Eight-thirty," she smiled at him and then stopped. "That's my house." She held   
out her hand for the books. "Thanks you for walking me home."  
  
He bowed his head: "It was my pleasure," he said and handed her the books. Their   
hands touched for a second and again she felt shivers all over her body. "See you tomorrow then, Buffy."  
  
"Until tomorrow," she replied and closed the door behind her.   
  
"Buffy, is it you?," she heard her father's voice from the living room.  
  
"Yes, father," she called back.   
  
"There's a message for you. From your fiancée. He'll be coming tomorrow to take   
you to the ball."  
  
"Oh great," she muttered. It wasn't that she didn't like Riley, no that wasn't it, but after meeting Liam today, feeling the touch of his hand and his lips on her hand nothing seemed the same. All of a sudden it seemed more ridiculous than ever that she should marry Riley Finn.  
  
*******  
  
Angelus whistled slightly when he entered his lair an hour later.  
  
"Where have you been," Darla hissed the moment she saw him.  
  
Giving her an arrogant look he raised an eyebrow: "Out."  
  
"So much I've guessed," she shot back and began to pace the room.  
  
"She's afraid you're spending too much time with your new obsession," William   
said from his spot on the couch.  
  
The dark-haired vampire's head snapped around: "My new obsession?"  
  
"There's a new girl in your life," Drusilla said in her melodic voice.  
  
"Really?," Angelus sat down and watched the other vampires in the room. He didn't want them to know about Buffy. Not yet, he told himself.  
  
"I'll be back soon," Darla hissed again and then slammed the door behind her.  
  
"She's pissed, mate," William chuckled and then quickly added: "Not that I mind.   
It's not my business. Just to warn you."  
  
Angelus gave him another look and then closed his eyes. She was different than he had expected. And her eyes were so pure. Inwardly groaning, he covered his face with his hands. What the hell was wrong with him? He didn't have feelings, did he? Oh god, maybe he should stay away from her or better just kill her and get over with it. To be too near to humans wasn't a good thing. He had heard of cases where it had even affected vampires. There were some pathetic individuals who were living with human women.   
  
He was Angelus, The Scourge of Europe, strong, powerful and merciless. Abruptly   
getting up he shortly glanced at William: "I'll be back later. I didn't have   
dinner yet."  
  
With this he left. He had to get the humanity out of his system. A good kill   
would do the trick!  
  
  
Part 3  
  
The house at Belgrave Square was huge and when Angelus arrived at exactly eight   
thirty he could see one carriage after the other stop in front of it. He liked   
balls like these, they were a great opportunity to get easy food, the lords   
never counted their servants. Chuckling at the thought he pushed every thought   
that he was possibly looking forward to see Buffy far away. He wasn't interested   
in her as a person, she was a new toy he would play with and then finish off in   
time. The only unconvincing fact was that he'd never played with a toy for such a long time before.  
  
Approaching the house he gave the butler his hat and coat and walked in. An older woman smiled at him: "Sir?"  
  
He bowed his head slightly and took her hand to kiss the back of it: "Lady   
Carpenter I believe. My name is Liam Flynn, your nice Miss Giles ..."  
  
"Oh," her face lit up, "you're the young man she told me about." Twinkling she   
added: "She never told me you're so handsome."  
  
Grinning he replied: "And I was never told you were such a charming lady."  
  
"Oh," she blushed slightly. "Now, Mr. Flynn, welcome to our ball. Just go over   
into the ballroom and help yourself to some Champagne."   
  
"My Lady." He bowed again and walked over to the open entrance. The ballroom was   
quite full already, but he didn't notice any of the guests. His eyes were only   
scanning the crowd for a certain blond head. Finally spotting her in the opposite corner of the room, he walked towards her direction.  
  
*******  
  
"He's gone again," Darla fumed.   
  
"Sexual frustration, luv?," Spike smirked.  
  
"Oh, shut up," she replied angrily.  
  
Looking up and down at her, the blond vampire suggested: "I could help out?. At   
least for a while."  
  
"Thanks, I'm not that desperate," Darla shook her head. "Besides what will your   
little Drusilla say to this?"  
  
"She doesn't have to know. Plus it's not as if I'd leave her, we're just shagging once or twice," he said enjoying the situation tremendously. Angelus was such a sick bastard, and he had certainly never liked him, but nobody could make Darla as angry as he could. What was about that damned bugger that all the girls were so obsessed with him, he wondered.  
  
"My Spike," Drusilla came through the door.  
  
"Yes, luv," he said, getting up. She was the only one to call him by his new   
name. Darla and her childe were just ignoring his wishes. William sounded so   
ridiculous for a big, bad vampire.  
  
"I was talking to the stars," the dark haired vampiress told him in her typical   
sing-sang. "My Daddy's gone out again. He meets the blonde girl."  
  
"Blonde girl," Darla's head snapped up. "Did you see anything else?" As annoying   
as she was, sometimes Drusilla was a good source.   
  
"He thinks she's pretty. I can feel his heart sing for her," the insane vampire   
continued.  
  
"His heart sings for her, that's ridiculous," Darla snorted. Although she had a   
sinking feeling in her stomach that this was very close to the truth. But she   
would never show the others. "I'm not listening to this nonsense. I've got better things to do." With this she left their lair, slamming the door behind her.   
  
Spike only grinned, pulled Drusilla close and gave her a passionate kiss.  
  
******  
  
The moment Liam had entered the ballroom Buffy could feel him. She didn't know it first, she only felt something in her body, but when she saw him and the feeling got stronger with every step he took towards her she knew. "Liam," she greeted him, extending her hand.   
  
"My pleasure," he replied with a smile, taking the offered hand and kissing it.   
  
"I'm so glad you could come," Buffy smiled too and was about to ask something   
when someone beside cleared his throat. She had forgotten all about him. Turning   
and forcing herself to keep the friendly smile on her face she said: "Oh Riley,   
I'm so sorry, Riley, this is Liam Flynn. Liam, this is Riley Finn."  
  
"Her fiancée," the man added eying the vampire curiously.   
  
"I see," Angelus replied. Her fiancée, he thought, not the greatest choice ever.   
He seemed quite attractive, but stiff and boring all over. Certainly not the man a girl like Buffy would want for all her life. He himself on the other side ...   
hey, where did that thought come from.   
  
"Liam was so nice to carry my books home last night," Buffy explained the man at   
her side. "I already told you."  
  
"Yes, you did," Riley said. "That was very nice of you Mr. Flynn."  
  
"It was no trouble at all. After all I was the cause they fell to the ground in   
the first place." Giving Buffy another smile he studied her fiancée closely. He   
was a tall man, a soldier regarding the uniform he wore. The most interesting   
thing however were the vibes he could feel from the blonde girl. She didn't like   
him that much and certainly didn't love him.   
  
"Buffy," another male voice cut in. A man in his mid forties came to stand   
beside the girl.  
  
"Father, this is Liam Flynn, the gentleman I told you about. Liam, that is my   
father, Sir Rupert Giles," Buffy introduced the two men.  
  
"Sir Giles," Angelus said with a short bow.  
  
"Mr. Flynn," the elder man eyed the younger for a moment and then turned to his   
daughter: "I will be at the billards room should you need anything, my dear." Then he walked out of the ballroom.  
  
"My father hates balls like these, but as a member of the society you have to   
attend from time to time," she explained. Then she turned towards her fiancée:   
"Riley could you please get me a glass of water?"  
  
"Of course, my dear," he kissed her hand and with another glance at the vampire   
he walked away.  
  
"When are you going to marry?," Angelus wanted to know.  
  
"Actually I was meant to be wed in two weeks, but Mr. Finn just informed me he   
was called to his regiments and for this we have to wait another six weeks," she   
replied with a bored voice.   
  
The vampire grinned inwardly, no she definitely wasn't very fond of her fiancée.   
"What sort of business is your father involved in?"  
  
"He has a printing house," she answered. "He edits two newspapers and several   
journals," she smiled. "He always loved the printed word. If he isn't working he   
sits at home in his library reading."  
  
Again Angelus thought that she had the loveliest smile he'd ever seen. Oh no, he   
groaned inwardly. What the hell is happening to me? I'm standing with her for   
about ten minutes and I haven't once looked at her neck. I'm not even interested   
in her neck besides that it's extremely pretty. No, this wasn't happening to him! This just wasn't possible.  
  
"Are you alright?," she suddenly asked with concern in her voice.  
  
"I'm fine, I assure you," he replied with a smile.  
  
She smiled: "Good. I know it's not ladylike again, but I already told you I'm not at all as one would expect a lady of the society. So what I wanted to ask you, would you dance with me. My feet are itching to move."  
  
Grinning now he held out his arm: "It would be a pleasure."  
  
When Riley came back he found his fiancée waltzing with the dark-haired   
stranger. Frowning he put the two glasses he was carrying down and went to see   
Lady Carpenter to inquire about him.  
  
*******  
  
"So you do understand me," Darla paced the little room. "I want him watched from   
dusk 'til dawn."  
  
"Yes, madam," the private investigator was busily scribbling on this note book.   
  
"I'll come every night to get your report," she told him. "And don't you dare   
betraying me," she warned him.  
  
"No, no," he raised his hands. "You're our client now. You will get your report   
every day in time, I can assure you. We are well known for our discretion and   
punctuality."  
  
"Very well," Darla nodded and then left the agency. She was going to find out   
what was the matter with her childe and then she'd take care of the problem.  
  
  
Part 4  
  
"Why do you want to marry Mr. Finn?," Angelus asked while he and Buffy were   
waltzing through the ballroom. He had already noticed the glances her fiancée was throwing at them and smirked inwardly. Jealousy was such a predictable human   
feeling. Buffy might not be in love with her soldier, but he was certainly very   
possessive of her.  
  
Her head snapped up and she stared at him for a moment. Then she swallowed: "My   
father has chosen him for me a long time ago. In fact his mother and mine were   
dreaming about our union since I was born. They were great friends."  
  
"Your mother isn't here, is she?"  
  
"No, she died when I was ten," she replied. "I miss her still though. And after   
her death my father kept holding onto that dream. Maybe because it was her wish."  
  
"Do you love him?," he asked after a while.  
  
"I know him all my life," she replied evasively.  
  
"That's no answer to my question. But I don't want to push."  
  
"You don't," she shook her head. "No, the answer is no. I don't love him. But   
love isn't really required for marriage nowadays. And Riley is reliable, he'll   
provide a good home for me. We're friends and know each other. And like my   
father I want to honour my mother's wishes."  
  
"It sounds very boring," he chuckled. "Although I understand the part about your   
mother's wish," he added quickly. Careful, he told himself, be very careful.  
  
"She was a wonderful woman," she sighed, "but the part about Riley being boring   
wasn't nice," she told him, but a smile was on her lips and she sighed again.  
  
"When I first met you ... I mean when we accidently bumped into each other   
yesterday, I thought you'd be different. You know somewhat rebellious, a girl   
that wants to be different, courageous."   
  
She looked at him in surprise for a moment. How was it possible that this man   
she'd only known for a day could see deep inside her soul? "Actually," she began, but then shrugged and sighed again. "Dreams, these are only dreams. I have no money of my own and unmarried women aren't really accepted in our society, unless they are very rich or old."  
  
"You disappoint me," he replied. "I thought you were the kind of woman to fight   
for her dreams, not give up so easily."  
  
Before she could answer the dance was over and Angelus lead her back to the spot   
her fiancée waited for her.   
  
"Buffy," Riley gave her a tight smile. "Lady Carpenter informed me that you   
invited Mr. Flynn to this ball."  
  
"I did," she said nodding. "Aunt Emily told me she needed more men to provide   
enough dance partners for the ladies." Why do I even explain this, she thought   
immediately, while Liam's last sentence kept repeating in her head. *I thought   
you were the kind of woman to fight for her dreams.*   
  
"What do you do Mr. Flynn?," Riley turned towards the vampire eyeing him   
cautiously. Lady Carpenter hadn't known a little thing about him and he didn't   
like it at all.  
  
"I travel a lot," Angelus answered and chuckled inwardly at the same time, it   
wasn't even a lie. "And I don't actually have to work for a living."  
  
"So you're rich," Buffy was surprised.   
  
He chuckled: "Well, I'm settled, if you want to say so. And I don't need much."   
With all the food running around, he added silently.  
  
"A wealthy Irishman," Riley thought loud. "Buffy," he turned towards his fiancée. "Why don't we stroll around the room for a while."  
  
Glancing from Riley to Angelus, she made the maybe most important decision in her whole life. Buffy slowly shook her head: "No, thank you," she replied, while the vampire's words kept repeating in her head. "Mr. Flynn, I would like to dance again."   
  
And with this she left her stunned fiancée staring after them. Angelus on the   
other hand was grinning widely. His plan was working excellently.  
  
******  
  
"I see the stars," Drusilla's eyes were half-closed and a dreamy look lay in   
them. "They talk to me."  
  
"What about luv?"  
  
"My Daddy," she replied and began to sing something unintelligible.  
  
Spike groaned inwardly, but gave her a smile: "He's gone, pet. He's with his new   
human toy."  
  
"Not a toy, Spikey," she said with a smile. "He's into her. Ooooooh," she moaned   
and sank to the ground. "It hurts Spike, it hurts."  
  
"Pet," he crouched down beside her and gathered her in his arms. "What do you   
see?"  
  
"He doesn't know, but she will change everything. It will destroy our little   
family, you have to do something, Spike. He'll leave us." She began to whine in   
his arms.  
  
"I will, pet, I will," he patted her back but over her head he smirked. Getting   
rid of his annoying grand-sire, getting him away from Drusilla, that was the best news ever. All he had to do now was stop Darla from interfering.  
  
*******  
  
"I think you fiancée is very angry," Angelus chuckled while they were dancing   
again.   
  
Her answer was a shrug: "I really don't care."  
  
"Buffy, Buffy," he shook his head but smiled. "This isn't the way a well educated lady behaves."  
  
She shrugged again: "Maybe, but maybe I'm not a well educated lady at all. Maybe   
you're right and I'm rebellious and adventurous. Do you know that I dream about   
travelling, seeing foreign countries, other people. Maybe I was behaving   
well-educated long enough."  
  
Inwardly smirking, he gave her a warm smile: "Your eyes lighten up when talk like this. You shouldn't give up your dreams only because everyone expects you to behave properly."  
  
She took a deep breath and beamed at him: "Do you know that I feel free when I'm   
with you. What are you doing to me? I've never felt like this before, it's   
different."  
  
"I'm glad to hear it, if it means you're going to live your dreams."  
  
They were dancing near the exit when she suddenly stopped and pulled him into the hallway: "You could take me with you," she looked deeply into his eyes. She knew it sounded crazy, but somehow she suddenly felt it. This man was going to be her destiny.  
  
"With me?", he tried to sound as surprised as possible, but could barely hide a   
grin. He had wanted to possess her, kill her, but for quite some time he had   
decided to turn her. But he didn't want another Drusilla, a demented doll, who   
was nothing but a nuisance, for him she'd lost her charms together with her   
marbles. No, Buffy should become his mate, his partner, his companion, one he   
choose, not a sire he felt addicted to. Screw Darla, he thought angrily. He knew   
he had to deal with her after turning Buffy, but it could wait 'til later.  
  
"Yes, with you. You said you would travel a lot. Take me with you," she begged   
almost desperately. "I know you'll think I'm crazy, because we only met   
yesterday, but suddenly I feel free. Take me with you." For Buffy it was as if   
all her dreams were laying right before her and she'd just to reach out for them. This time she wouldn't hesitate. "I don't expect anything from you, only to take me with you. I have a little money..."  
  
"Stop," he raised his hands and chuckled. God, he was good, he thought. Actor   
could've been another possible profession. "But first you have to come with me, I have to show you something first.  
  
"Show me?," she looked at him expectantly.  
  
"Yes." He nodded. "Do you trust me?"  
  
She hesitated only for a second: "Yes, I do," she replied and the truth was in   
her eyes.   
  
That moment Angelus felt something in his chest, he didn't understand. It was a   
strange feeling, but he simply ignored it. Holding out a hand for her he led her   
out of the house into the dark streets, his eyes flashing yellow for a moment.   
This was going to be his night and tonight she would be his.  
  
  
Part 5  
  
Buffy was surprised when she realised that Liam hadn't come in a coach but at   
foot. He led her away from the house, down the street and she glanced at him from time to time. After a while, the bright windows of her aunt's house far behind them, she spoke: "Where are we going?"  
  
"I thought you trusted me," he replied.  
  
"I do," she assured him quickly. "I know it's crazy, because we know each other   
just for 24 hours, but I feel...," she paused.  
  
"Yes?," he stopped and looked at her. "You feel what?"  
  
"I don't know," she whispered, gazing deeply into his eyes. "When I touched your   
hand. Yesterday, I mean. It was different. It was what I dreamt about, with Riley it's always safe and," she chuckled, "yes and boring. But with you..." she   
trailed off.  
  
He began to walk again: "You're wrong, you know."  
  
Eyeing him from the side she asked: "Wrong?"  
  
"I know you much longer than 24 hours."  
  
Now it was her turn to stop and look at him: "What?" Her face was full of   
confusion.  
  
"I watched you. Two weeks I watched you," his voice was deeper now, "and then I   
wanted to meet you. I'm not what you think."  
  
"No?," her confusion grew.  
  
"No," he replied and pulled her into a dark avenue. Staring at her with an   
intensity that made her shiver he seemed to study her face for a while. "Did you   
ever hear about vampires?" His eyes wandered from her face to the pulsing artery   
at her neck. He could almost feel the blood on his tongue. Soon, he told himself, soon she would be his. He knew if his heart would beat it would race now.  
  
"You watched me for two weeks," she said ignoring his last question. "Why?" Then   
suddenly her head snapped up: "Vampires? Did you say vampires?"  
  
"Yes," he replied. "My name isn't Liam," he shrugged, "well, actually it was,   
about 150 years ago." He lowered his head and when it came up again Buffy was   
staring at something she'd never seen before. "Now I'm known as Angelus."   
  
She couldn't move, she had to remind herself to breathe, she could only stare.   
The face in front of her wasn't human anymore. She knew she should run because   
it should have frightened her, but somehow it didn't, because there underneath   
was Liam, the man she ... oh God, she thought. And then she did something the   
vampire would've never expected. She reached out with her hand and touched him.   
Softly, gently, like the touch of a feather, her fingertips wandered over the   
ridges, over his lip and finally over his prolonged canines.   
  
Angelus was sure he had seen almost everything in his long life or un-life, but   
now he was frozen on the spot. She wasn't afraid, she didn't scream, she didn't   
try to run away, she just stood there and touched him and in her eyes he saw   
something he couldn't clearly read. But it wasn't disgust or fear, was it   
curiosity?   
  
"So you're a vampire," she whispered after what seemed like an eternity.   
  
"Yes," he whispered back. What the hell is happening to me, he asked himself? Why on earth am I talking to her at all? I should take her, suck her and finish it now.  
  
"Did you kill many people?," she asked and looked at him. Looked straight into   
his yellow, demonic eyes.  
  
And suddenly he was ashamed. He shook his head in disbelief. He was Angelus, he   
was meant to be proud, he was a master of torture, a master of killing, of the   
hunt and now the touch of her hand changed him into some soft lapdog. Almost   
embarrassed her stepped back and averting his eyes, his voice harsh, he answered: "Yes. More than I can count." And why not, a part of him screamed. He was a vampire, vampires killed humans, they fed from them. It was only natural. But it wasn't that simple anymore. Nothing seemed simple all of a sudden.  
  
When she didn't say anything, he looked up. Her eyes were still resting on him.   
"And you came to kill me too." It wasn't a question.   
  
"That was the plan," he replied. And the question that kept repeating in his head again and again was, why don't I just bite her?   
  
"What happened?", she tilted her head.  
  
He shrugged: "Don't know."  
  
Suddenly she smiled: "You wanted to do it tonight. But you didn't. Do you have   
feelings for me?"  
  
*******  
  
"Don't leave me alone Spike," Dru whispered in panic. She hated it to be left   
alone in the lair. And she didn't want to go on a hunt either. The people in   
London were mean. Only a week ago, one had tried to stake her.  
  
"Pet, I'll be back in no time. There's a business, I have to take care of. I   
promise it won't take long. Just stay here and wait for me."  
  
"Spikey," she protested again.  
  
He took a deep breath, he hated the next sentence but he knew this way she would   
understand: "I have to do it. For Angelus, for your Daddy."  
  
"Daddy," a happy smile crept across her face and Spike wanted his grand-sire to   
vanish here and now. But to make sure of it, he had to leave and follow Darla.   
She'd left five minutes ago and he knew where she wanted to go. He couldn't let   
it happen. It was his only chance to get rid of the sick bastard.  
  
"Yes, Daddy," she said and groaned inwardly. "Now, be a good girl and wait for   
me." With a last look at the love of his life, he left.  
  
*******  
  
"Vampires don't have feelings," he snapped at her. How could this stupid chick   
think he had feelings for her? Who the hell did she think she was? She was   
nothing special, only another human girl, he would have fun with. He could feel   
his anger grow and he approached her again. She didn't step back, only looked at   
him unflinchingly. He grabbed her shoulders: "I don't have feelings," he shouted. "You mean nothing to me."  
  
Her smile grew even wider: "No, of course not." She watched him for a moment and   
then turned her head: "Then go on. Bite me."  
  
The second time this night he froze. Without even noticing his gaze returned to   
it's human form. His eyes were wide. He wanted to take her, make her his and   
couldn't move.   
  
Slowly, ever so slowly she reached out with her hand and touched his face again:   
"I love you," she whispered.   
  
"No," he jerked back. "No."  
  
"Yes," she nodded and touched his lips. "I love you."  
  
"You cannot love me," he shook his head. "You know me 24 hours. That's not enough time."  
  
"More than enough," she replied with a grin. "Sometimes it needs only a second."   
Seeing him stepping backwards, she replied: "I love you."  
  
"No," he shouted again, his anger growing again. "You cannot do this. I don't   
want this," he yelled. He was Angelus, a vampire, he would show her. And then   
without even noticing it he slipped back into game-face and approached her. He   
would kill her now and stop it. Grabbing her shoulders, avoiding her eyes, he   
bent forward and could smell the blood running through her veins.  
  
*******  
  
Spike ran through the streets of London, he knew she was near. He could smell   
Darla and hoped she wouldn't pay attention to him, that her focus would be   
directed towards her beloved childe and towards him only.   
  
Reaching behind his back he sighed in relief, he hadn't forgotten about it. He   
didn't want to go for the extreme, but this was his chance and he would be damned if he didn't take it. Drusilla would be his, for eternity.  
  
*******  
  
She smelled so tempting, his teeth were only inches apart from her neck, but she   
didn't fight, she didn't move, she didn't even flinch.   
  
Angelus closed his eyes and pulled back. Something like that had never happened   
to him before, he couldn't do it, something was holding him back. There were   
suddenly pictures in his head, he couldn't place and he found his eyes locked   
with hers.   
  
"I love you," she repeated again.   
  
"No, no," he yelled. "Stay away from me!", he shouted. Then without a warning he   
turned and disappeared into the night.  
  
Buffy could only watch him run away. Suddenly she felt cold and she could feel   
her hands were trembling, but then again a smile spread across her face. He was a vampire, a real vampire, and she loved him. Closing her eyes for a moment, she   
had to laugh. She was mad, she had to be mad. Only a mad woman would behave like   
this. She was completely insane. But she loved him. There was nothing in her life she was so sure of. She loved him. And she would find him or he would find her. They would find a way, somehow. Tomorrow she would maybe think differently, but tonight it felt so right. Shaking her head in disbelief, she was about to turn, when she heard a voice behind her and turned around.   
  
"Hello, little girl."  
  
She wasn't surprised anymore. Now she knew vampires were real. Although it was a   
new experience to see they could be female too.  
  
  
Part 6  
  
He ran into the night, into the darkness, ran and then ran even faster. Only to   
get away from her, from everything connected to her. And to stop thinking,   
thinking about what was happening to him. And he ran away from the pictures in   
his head, hundreds of people he'd killed, tortured, women he'd raped, without a   
second thought, without mercy, without remorse.  
  
Until today.  
  
Today his world had shattered. His world as a vampire that was. Three little   
words had turned his life upside down, or his un-life for that matter.   
  
"Stupid bitch," he muttered when he slowed down at least. He was far away from   
her he knew, but he could still feel her fingers touching his face, smell her   
scent on him. "Stupid bitch," he repeated, but he already knew the struggle was   
in vain. The war was lost. She'd conquered him with three little words. What on   
earth had he thought two weeks ago when he decided to follow her. Maybe he had a   
thing for self-destruction? Was it a twisted urge to hear exactly what she'd said tonight? 'I love you', it repeated in his head again and again.   
  
There was no space in his world for love. He was a vampire. A vampire. A creature of the night, a blood-lusting beast and he loved it. Had lov..., oh god, he groaned inwardly. The mere thought of killing someone sent nauseous shivers all over his body. The images of the people he had killed started to haunt him, he felt so weak and to steady himself he leaned against a wall. He could feel his hands trembling, his knees were like pudding and his gut one big twisted knot. Dizziness overcame him and with his back at the wall he sank down to the ground, pulling his knees to his chest.   
  
He could see the little girl, he had killed over hundred years ago, her sweet   
face, her gentle smile, he saw the bridegroom who was anxiously waiting for his   
love. He had sucked his blood and enjoyed it. The twins whose eyes were wide with fear, the nun, praying in the church. He could still remember the glorious   
feeling to kill a nun in a church, a proof he was now an old vampire, he could go into a church en enjoy it. And then his parents, Kathy ... he buried his face in his hands. No, no, no ... this wasn't happening, this wasn't he, he would never do such a thing.   
  
There was blood, lots of blood, everywhere, he could feel it on his tongue, the   
blood of each victim, there were so many, he'd forgotten most of the faces, they   
hadn't been important. He had taken human lives and felt nothing, no it was   
worse, he'd loved it.   
  
What was he? How was he fit to live? How could he live after all he'd done, after all the lives he'd extinguished. He threw his head back and with a loud 'thub' it met the wall behind him, but he didn't feel the pain, on the contrary he welcomed it. It was not enough, pain, it hit him like a bullet, he had to endure pain. Maybe physical pain would help to endure the mental torture he was suffering at the moment.   
  
Frantically his eyes searched the ground in front of him for something to hurt   
himself when he met another pair of eyes, watching him quietly. The eyes belonged to a strange looking little man and after another little while he spoke: "Hello Angelus. Maybe we should talk."  
  
*******  
  
"Who are you?," Buffy asked and looked at the blonde, female vampire in front of   
her who was stepping closer.  
  
"My name is Darla," the vampiress replied and tilted her head: "You're pretty. He always had excellent taste." When she saw the questioning gaze of the human girl, she laughed: "Angelus, little girl, I'm talking about Angelus."  
  
"I thought so," Buffy replied, not believing how courageous she felt. "And you   
know him?"  
  
"He's mine," Darla's voice was a passionate whisper. "He's been mine for over   
hundred years." Then it changed into a sarcastic tone: "I love you," she imitated Buffy's voice. "How pathetic. I made him, he's my lover and a good one," she swayed her hips and one hand stroked over her hips. "Everything he knows, everything he can he learned from me. Do you really think he would leave me to be with you, that's the best joke ever."  
  
Why am I not afraid of her, Buffy asked herself again and again. I should run   
away, but I don't. "You're scared to your bones," she said after a while. "You're the pathetic one. Because he's already left you, maybe not physically, but his thoughts are with me. I could see it his eyes." And she was sure of it, as sure as she knew that she loved him. A confident smile crept across her face.  
  
"Shut up," Darla yelled, hatred boiling inside of her. "You don't know what   
you're talking about. But," she smiled evilly, "it's of no consequence, because," she licked her lips and her prolonged canines, "when you're dead, he'll forget all about you." With this she jumped forward.  
  
*******  
  
"Who are you?," the vampire asked, not really interested to hear the answer. The   
images in his head refused to stop, wouldn't stop haunting him.  
  
"I'm a friend," the strange looking man replied with a grin.  
  
"I have no friends, I'm a vampire," Angelus wanted to be alone, he wanted peace,   
no more faces looking at him accusingly, reminding him of his true nature.  
  
"Well, then let's just say, I know who you are."  
  
"Then you know more than I. Just recently I have great difficulties to see who I   
am," the vampire leaned his head against the wall and closed his eyes. "I don't   
want you here. Go away."  
  
"It's hard, I know," the man crossed his arms and leaned against the wall.  
  
"What?," Angelus asked with his eyes still closed.  
  
"To feel remorse," was the simple answer.  
  
The vampire's eyes snapped open in shock and he stared at the stranger who was   
standing beside him, his body completely relaxed. "H-How ... how can you know,"   
he whispered.  
  
The stranger grinned: "They know a lot," his eyes went to the sky. "The Powers   
That Be, if you've heard of them."  
  
"The Pow - what?"  
  
"The Powers that Be, I'm a messenger. They can't talk to people or vampires, so   
they send guys like me," he explained with a grin. "Makes you feel warm and cosy   
inside to be important."  
  
"Did anyone ever tell you that you aren't funny," the vampire closed his eyes   
again.  
  
"Hundreds of times, but it makes people listening to me," the grin was even wider now. Angelus groaned inwardly, this freak was obviously enjoying himself. "Don't you want to know what has happened today?," the stranger then asked casually.  
  
********  
  
Spike knew he was near and then he suddenly heard the screams. He ran and when he came around the corner he saw them. Darla had started to drink from a human girl, it had to be her, he was sure of it. He knew he had to do something and fast. But Darla was strong and he couldn't just fight her. She had the strength of almost 300 years in her bones. So he crossed his arms and strolled into the pale light of the street lamp: "Hi Darla," he greeted his grand-grand-sire.  
  
Her head snapped up on hearing her name: "William," she hissed, blood dripping   
from her teeth. "What are you doing here?"  
  
The girl in her arms, was tiny and pretty, she was pale, her eyes were wide open, but he could see she was still breathing and somehow she didn't seem in panic.  
  
"Did you follow me?," Darla narrowed her eyes.   
  
He shrugged and stepped closer, never taking his eyes from Buffy's face: "So   
that's her," he asked almost casually. "Angelus' new toy."  
  
"Yes, his new toy," she spat the last word. "His new obsession, but soon it'll be over."  
  
"And so you decided you were the one to end it," he raised an eyebrow. "You're a   
fool Darla. He'll never forgive you for this. He doesn't like anyone to interfere with his girls."  
  
"I'm his girl," she hissed. "She's just a temporary toy."  
  
"I was just thinking," he was now standing beside the two women. "How about you   
let me have a bite or two?"  
  
Darla looked at him for a moment: "You always hated him," she said with an evil   
smile, "because Dru's still got the hots for him." And then she laughed: "Here   
serve yourself," she pushed the girl into Spike's arms and stepped back, eager to watch Buffy die in front of her. This was even better than to do it herself, this way Angelus wouldn't blame her. He would go against the blonde vampire.  
  
********  
  
The vampire sighed and shot the annoying stranger a look. "I have the feeling   
you're going to tell me anyhow."   
  
"Have you ever read of the vampire hunters?"  
  
"I've heard of them, yes," Angelus admitted. "Why?"  
  
"Did you ever ask yourself where they come from?," the stranger asked and watched the vampire closely.  
  
"No, not really. But you're going to tell me am I right?"  
  
"I like it when a man can follow my thoughts," he grinned. "You're a clever one,   
Angelus, you always were. And what a master of death."  
  
"Stop it," the vampire shouted in agony. The images were coming again now.   
  
The stranger raised his hands: "Alright, alright. It's a new feeling to have a   
conscience, isn't it. Damn painful, I guess. Okay, okay," he looked down at the   
vampire. "Sometimes I get sidetracked, sorry. Now, where was I, oh yes, the   
vampire hunters. Well, Angelus, welcome to the club," he tilted his head and   
grinned while the vampire's eyes widened in confusion.  
  
********  
  
"Are you going to drink her or what do you want?," Darla said after a moment.   
  
Damn she was getting impatient, Spike thought. Slowly he bent forward and licked   
the girl's neck wound: "Do as if I'm drinking you," he whispered into her ear and congratulated himself for stopping on his way to suck some poor fellow dry.   
Otherwise he wouldn't have this kind of self-control. Hoping she'd understood he   
closed his lips over the wound and began to make sucking noises, when a movement   
in the dark caught his attention.  
  
"My Spikey," Drusilla whined. "Don't you like me anymore?"  
  
"Dru," the blonde vampire looked up from Buffy's neck. "What are you doing here?" Behind him he could hear Darla sigh in annoyance.  
  
"This is Daddy's girl," the insane vampire pointed at the human girl. "He won't   
like it. He doesn't like us to interfere. He'll punish us," her voice was   
trembling. "I know he will."  
  
"Go away," Darla hissed at Dru. "This isn't your business."  
  
"You shut up," Spike turned and narrowed his eyes at Darla. "Leave her alone."  
  
"My Spike," Drusilla touched his shoulder: "Let me have her," she begged. "Daddy   
will smell her blood in me, he'll love me then."  
  
Certainly not, Spike thought with a groan. "You've already eaten, pet. Or did you forget all about the baker boy I brought you just before."  
  
"Yummy," she licked her lips. "So fresh and young."  
  
"Now, be a good girl, and let me have my dinner," he gave her a smile. Seeing her stepping back he bent down again to continue his noise making at Buffy's neck while his mind was trying to find a solution for this mess. Now he had Darla and Drusilla to take care of. Why on earth had this bugger Angelus ever to cross his path.  
  
  
Part 7  
  
"A vampire hunter?," Angelus stared at the stranger in disbelief. "God, I wished   
I never woke up tonight," he groaned.  
  
"Alright, boy, let me tell you. First of all my name, I didn't say my name, did   
I?"  
  
"No, you didn't," the vampire sighed. Maybe listening to this freak was a part of his torture.  
  
"Whistler, my name's Whistler. I'm a demon, but a good one. There are lots of   
good demons. Anyway. You my friend got yourself a soul, a conscience if you like   
that better, today." He leaned back against the wall.   
  
"So far I got it," Angelus stood up and crossed his arms. The images were coming   
again, more and more and for a moment he had to close his eyes. He opened them   
again when he felt a hand on his arm.  
  
"Don't blame yourself for this," the demon told him. "There was a demon in   
possession of your body, now your soul is back and you're in control again."  
  
"But how?"  
  
"Because she loves you," the demon answered simply.  
  
*******  
  
Spike didn't feel too good. He was standing under a street lamp, faking to suck a human girl and two female vampires in his back watching him. He'd been in better situations in his long un-life. Slowly moving his lips towards Buffy's ear he whispered: "Don't move, don't say a word. Don't even let me know you understand what I'm saying. I will drop you now and then you have to be dead. Try not to breathe or if you must be careful."   
  
Desperately hoping she'd understood he pulled away and dropped her to ground. She fell like a puppet and to his great relief he realised that she'd fainted. Even better. Turning around he wiped his mouth with his sleeve: "Her blood was really sweet."  
  
Darla narrowed her eyes: "Why are you here?"  
  
"I followed you," Spike said honestly. Then he continued: "You always know to   
find something very rare and special." He gazed at Drusilla: "Are you alright   
pet?"  
  
"Fine, Spike," she chirped. "Can we go now. This street isn't nice."  
  
"We'll go," he nodded. "What about you?," he turned towards Darla.  
  
"Yes, let's go. Angelus has to learn that he cannot play with me," she said with   
a content voice. With a last look at the body on the ground the vampires left the street.  
  
*******  
  
"This is the only reason?," Angelus couldn't believe this.  
  
"Yes. If ever a good soul would love a being of darkness like you *were* it would break the circle. When you became a vampire, you lost your soul, your conscience, no remorse, no thoughts, just an easy life. The only power to overcome this is love, her love," he paused and watched the vampire for a moment, "and yours."  
  
"Mine," Angelus nodded thoughtfully. "I felt it happening. There was nothing I   
could do against it."  
  
"I know," Whistler smiled. "The love you feel for each other changed everything.   
You're still a vampire, but you have a soul, that prevents you from killing   
people anymore. Your new fate is to fight vampires and demons. It's meant to be   
that way Angelus."  
  
"Don't call me that," the vampire spun around and glared at the demon. "I don't   
want to be called like that monster."  
  
The demon nodded: "I see. But Liam isn't very fitting either." He tilted his   
head: "How about Angel?"  
  
"Angel?," the vampire looked at him doubtfully. "Don't you think that sounds a   
little bit too ... well, female?"  
  
Whistler chuckled: "The Angel of Darkness. Does sound very good for me. And you   
will be an Angel of Darkness, you will be their nightmare."  
  
"But how am I supposed to live like this. With all the blood and dead people in   
my mind?," the vampire closed his eyes again.   
  
"You will. She'll be your strength," Whistler assured him.  
  
Angel's eyes snapped open: "Buffy, I have to find her. I told her ... god, I just ran away." He gazed at the demon, who grinned.  
  
"Go," he gestured towards the alley. "We'll meet again. There's a lot you have to learn."  
  
"I know," Angel nodded. "I know." Then he turned and ran, this time not in agony   
but towards Buffy, towards his destiny.  
  
*******  
  
"William," Darla looked at the blonde vampire. "There's something I have to take   
care of. You better go to our lair. She doesn't look too well," she nodded at   
Drusilla.  
  
Spike eyed her for a moment. Something wasn't right. But then if she wanted to   
find Angelus he wouldn't step inbetween. Whatever got to the bugger he'd earned   
it ten times, Spike thought. "Alright, Pet," he wrapped an arm around Dru's   
shoulder. "See you later then."  
  
As soon as the blonde vampire disappeared in the darkness, Darla turned and ran   
back to the place where the girl was laying. Somehow she didn't trust Spike and   
when she was kneeling down beside Buffy and feeling for her pulse she knew her   
feeling had been right. William would pay for this. But then suddenly another   
thought came to her and a wide grin spread across her face. Pulling the neck of   
the girl towards her, she began to drink. A growl escaped her throat, William the traitor hadn't drunk at all. Well, the more for her. But this time she didn't take all, only seconds before it would've been over she pulled away from the vein and slapped the girl across her face.   
  
Buffy's eyes snapped open. She'd been in a dream-world for a while. Pictures of   
Liam were in her head, his face, his eyes, his hands, the feelings for him. She   
knew she was about to die, but somehow she wasn't in panic anymore. She'd felt   
fear the moment Darla had bitten her, but now it was gone. Maybe it was the loss   
of blood that made her feel so light-headed, but maybe it was another thought: at least once in her lifetime she'd known true love.   
  
Wide-eyed she stared at Darla who was kneeling in front of her, an evil smile on   
her face: "Hello, girl," she tilted her head. "I thought about killing you and   
bringing you to him tonight, as a present, you know. But now, I had a much better idea." And with this, she opened the vein at her wrist and only seconds after this Buffy felt blood run down her throat.  
  
******  
  
Angel ran around the last corner only to freeze dead in track. His eyes widened   
in shock. No, this wasn't happening he thought: "No, Buffy" he whispered in   
agony, stepping slowly forward. "Nooooooo," his shout sounded in the dark alley.  
  
Darla stood up and looked at him: "Too late, my friend, the deed is done," she   
informed him. Then she tilted her head: "What has happened to you?"  
  
"You did this," he hissed at her, stepping closer.  
  
Unconsciously Darla stepped back, taken aback by the look in his eyes. "Angelus," her voice was uncertain.  
  
"You will pay for this," he told her his eyes never leaving hers'.   
  
"But...," she began, but both vampires spun round when they heard a noise behind   
them.   
  
Slowly Buffy opened her eyes which were glowing yellow in the street light. With   
a triumphant grin Darla watched the horror in Angel's eyes then she gazed at her   
newest childe: "Welcome Buffy."  
  
  
Part 8  
  
"Buffy," Angel whispered and kneeled down beside her reaching out with his hand,   
but not touching her. Her yellow eyes stared at him for a moment while she sat   
up. He could feel his guts knotting inside by thought of her being an evil   
vampire now. A creature of the night with all the blood-lust of a demon he only   
knew too well. This wasn't meant to be, it couldn't. Everything about her had   
been so pure and full of light.  
  
"Wh- What happened?," she wanted to know, confusion written all over her face.  
  
"You're one of us now, Darling," Darla stepped forward and looked at her new   
childe with an evil smile on her face. She was sure that her lover would come   
back to her in a flash. In her eyes Buffy's attraction for him was due to her   
being a human. With this gone he would turn his back on her.  
  
"Liam?," Buffy gazed at the vampire with questioning eyes.  
  
He looked to the ground in shame: "Yes," he whispered, his voice sounding hoarse, "she made you a vampire. I ... I'm so sorry."  
  
She brought her hands up and touched her face, felt the change in it, realised it was the same she'd already seen in him. But surprisingly she didn't feel bad   
about it. On the contrary...  
  
"Are you hungry, dear?," Darla stood in front of her with crossed arms, the smile never leaving her face. She had won and nothing was sweeter than a complete victory.  
  
Buffy nodded: "Yes, I'm hungry. Very hungry," she added, her face turning towards the man beside her.   
  
Angel covered his face with his hands, he was kneeling beside the girl he loved.   
But she was a vampire now, a vampire not capable of love or any feeling for that   
matter. And it was his fault, of course he hadn't made her a vampire but without   
him Darla would've never noticed her.   
  
"Liam?"  
  
His head snapped up when he felt the touch of her hand on his'. Her face had   
changed back to normal which was surprising because usually vampires needed some   
time to control this. He couldn't look into her eyes though, the shame washed   
over him and he was about to get up when she tightened her hold on his hand.  
  
"No," she said firmly. "What is the matter with you?"  
  
He shook his head again in agony.   
  
"Liam, please. It's not your fault," she insisted. She reached out with her other hand and touched his face: "I told you before, I love you."  
  
"What?," he looked at her in disbelief. "What did you say?" Was it possible, he   
thought and desperately tried to keep his hope at bay.  
  
"I love you," she replied. "Maybe you can teach me how to be a vampire," she   
smiled sheepishly, " because I don't know anything about it."  
  
"But ..." Angel couldn't remember ever been so confused in his life. But the hope in him was growing now. She'd said she loved him, after she was made a vampire. Two times.  
  
"I already told you kid, love is stronger than the demon."  
  
The three vampires turned their heads towards the voice. Whistler was leaning   
against the wall, grinning widely. "She didn't loose her soul. It was so full of   
love, the demon wasn't able to take control."  
  
"So she isn't ...?," Angel looked at the demon.  
  
"No, well technically she's a vampire, but no, she isn't bad," he smiled at Buffy   
who had followed his words with wide eyes. "Hey kid, I'm Whistler."  
  
She shook her head: "Nice to meet you, but I'm still a bit confused. What do you   
mean by 'the love was stronger than the demon' ?"  
  
"I think Angel here will tell you later, but for now. My boy," he walked over and put a hand on the dark-haired vampire's shoulder, "it was meant to be that way. You both are meant to be together, but how would it be possible if she stayed human?" Then he turned and grinned at Darla: "Good job, my girl, without you this wouldn't have been possible. It's good that jealousy is so damned predictable."  
  
"No," Darla shook her head, hate radiating in waves from her body. "He's mine,"   
she shouted and grabbed Angel's shoulder. "You're mine, Angelus, I made you."   
Then her attention went back to the demon: "What did you do to him?"  
  
"He didn't do anything to me," Angel stood up, slowly, so he could control his   
still boiling anger in the process, although he felt a lot better since Whistler   
had told him it was meant to be this way. Buffy was meant to become a vampire and joy flooded his undead heart. She would be his mate, they would spend eternity together. But what if...  
  
His eyes suddenly focussed on Buffy ignoring Darla completely in the process: "Do you want to be with me? I mean, you said you loved me, but ..."  
  
"Well," she bit her lower lip for a moment and then a smile spread across her   
face: "Usually two people who love each other promise to stay with each other for their lifetime. As we are vampires now..." she trailed off her smile turning into a wide grin.   
  
"I love you," he admitted for the first time. "I didn't tell you before, but..."  
  
"I know," she interrupted him. "I knew all the time."  
  
He sighed and smiled as well: "I know you knew. It was very confusing. I didn't   
want to ... you know ... but I never had a chance." Angel's gaze wandered to   
Whistler for a moment who was watching the whole display with joy.  
  
"Stop it," Darla shouted, "stop it now," her foot hit the ground. "This is   
ridiculous. Love," she snorted. "What a stupid thing. You both are vampires," she threw her hands in the air. "Vampires," she repeated as if this one word would explain everything. Well usually it did, but in this special case ... "What kind of sick nightmare is this! Two vampires love each other, it's just not possible," she laughed, but it didn't sound happy. "And who the hell are you?," she spun towards Whistler.  
  
"Whistler," he introduced himself again. "I'm a messenger from the Po... well,   
from above," his eyes glanced at the sky for a moment. "Anyway. As my friend   
Angel told you already, I didn't do anything."  
  
"Angel?," she shouted. "His name's Angelus, I created that name for him."  
  
"Not anymore, Darla," Angel's voice was like ice. "I'm not what you think   
anymore. Things change, I've changed."  
  
"No," she yelled, grabbing his arm: "You're mine," she repeated her words from   
before. "Mine."  
  
His hand took hers with an iron grip and removed it from his sleeve. "Go away   
from me, Darla. Stay away from us, this is my last warning. If you don't stay   
away I'll kill you."  
  
The blonde vampiress cried out in rage and jumped away changing into her   
game-face immediately. "What did they do to you?," she demanded. "I can see it in your eyes. Something happened. Tell me!"  
  
"He's got himself a soul, my dear," Whistler couldn't stop grinning. It had been   
a long time he'd felt so good. Everything was as it was meant to be. And besides   
he'd watched Darla for quite some time and had never liked her.  
  
"A soul?," she shouted in disbelief "A soul," she repeated. Pure hatred was in   
her yellow eyes: "This isn't over Angelus. Take care of your little girl and   
enjoy her for a while. But this isn't over!" With this she spun around and   
disappeared into the night.  
  
Angel shrugged and turned to help Buffy getting up. She smiled sheepishly and   
looked down at herself: "This was my best gown. It's not looking very well   
anymore," she laughed. There were blood stains everywhere and the skirt was dirty from the street.   
  
"Kids," Whistler tried to get the couple's attention. "I think we need to talk   
now. Is there a place we could go?"  
  
While Angel was still trying to think about a place to go Buffy spoke up: "My   
house. I have to talk to my father." When she saw the doubtful looks she got from the two men she took Angel's hand: "He has to know about this and then you," she looked at Whistler, "can talk. I think there's a lot you have to explain."  
  
********  
  
Spike's head shot up when he heard the door slam shut and a second later Darla   
appeared in their lair. Inwardly grinning because Angelus wasn't with her he   
tried to keep his gaze as innocently as possible. Drusilla was sleeping in the   
bedroom after an hour of passion.  
  
"You're back," he raised an eyebrow at the blonde vampiress.  
  
"As you see," came her clipped response.  
  
"Where's my grand-sire?," he asked.  
  
"Not here."  
  
"I can see that," he said in annoyance, giving up his friendly tone.  
  
"He's with her. With the girl. I made her a vampire and thought it would be the   
end of it, but then this stupid demon showed up and now they both have a soul,"   
she replied pacing the room.  
  
"A soul?," Spike asked confusion. "What do you mean by that?"  
  
"They're all good now. Feeling love and things. Ridiculous," she rolled her eyes   
and threw her hands in the air. "But not for long." She spun around and her eyes   
shot daggers at Spike: "Do you hear me," she yelled. "Not for long. I have to   
think. I have to make a plan. He's mine and I swear I'll get him back." With this she left the room again.  
  
Spike stared at the spot where she stood right before. Then a content smile   
spread over his face and he leaned back in his chair. Lighting himself a   
cigarette he felt great, Angelus was gone. Not with them anymore and for this   
out of Dru's life. And Darla had been so angry that she hadn't even said a word   
about his betrayal. Yes, life was good. Very good.  
  
  
Part 9  
  
Rupert Giles was already pacing his library when he heard a knock on the door. He and Riley Finn who'd accompanied him after Buffy was missing from the ball   
stormed to the door and stared at the three people standing there.   
  
"Buffy," Giles exclaimed and took his daughter's hand to pull her inside glaring   
at Angel and Whistler in the process, while Riley was silently fuming in the   
background.  
  
When his daughter didn't move from her spot beside the man who had been   
introduced to him as Mr. Flynn, Giles frowned: "What's the matter?," he asked.  
  
"Sir Giles," Whistler bowed his head, "maybe I should introduce myself first. I'm known as Whistler and I'm a friend of your daughter and A... er ... Mr. Flynn here. Maybe you could invite us all in first and we'll explain then?"  
  
Looking back and forth between the two men and then focussing on his daughter's   
face Giles nodded: "Come on in then." He stepped back and motioned them towards   
the library where the fireplace was heated and a comforting warmth welcomed them. When everyone was seated Giles looked expectantly at the strange little man now sitting opposite to him.   
  
After exchanging a short glance with Angel Whistler took a deep breath: "Maybe   
you should have some brandy first?"  
  
"I don't want anything, all I want to know is what's going on. We were invited to a ball where my daughter disappears from with a man she's obviously just met   
yesterday. I want an explanation for this," he finished staring at Angel now.  
  
"Sir Giles," the vampire began and took Buffy's hand: "Did you ever hear about   
vampires?"  
  
The older man's eyes went wide but after a short moment he nodded: "Yes. I know   
about them. Well, not know," he admitted, "but I've read about them. But they're   
not real. It's a legend. I once met a writer, Bram Stoker, he's Irish, who seemed to be very interested in the subject. He was even suggesting that there's more about it than legend only. Of course this is nonsense."   
  
"No it is not," Angel replied exchanging a glance with Buffy. "Maybe," he   
continued, "I just show you." With this he took a deep unnecessary breath and   
changed into his game-face.   
  
Riley and Giles gasped in shock and Buffy's fiancée shouted: "What in hell...",   
he pointed at Angel and then quickly grabbed the blonde's hand: "Get away from   
him. Now!"  
  
Buffy shook his hand off of her arm and without a word changed into her game-face as well, which was not a problem as she felt the anger against Riley boiling inside of her already.  
  
"Oh god," Giles stared at his daughter. With a trembling hand he pointed at the   
small table in the corner: "I think I need some brandy now."  
  
Riley on the other hand backed away until his back pressed against the wall   
behind him, he had to remind himself to breathe.   
  
Both vampires changed back into their human forms.  
  
Whistler nodded with an inward grin and handed the two humans well filled   
glasses. Then he sat down again and said: "Well, as you now you've seen. My friend Angel here is a vampire. But not the average kind. He has a soul and for this does not hunt or hurt humans."  
  
"Well, that's a relief," Giles said sarcastically. "But why you?," his face   
turned towards his daughter and she felt a pang in her now undead heart when she   
saw tears in his eyes. When she felt Angel's hand taking her own she gave him a   
grateful look.   
  
"Father, I ... tonight I was made a vampire," she began. Giles' gaze wandered   
towards Angel and so she quickly added: "No, not by him. But by the vampire who   
made him too. It was an act of revenge because," she smiled at the vampire beside him, "Angel is in love with me."  
  
Giles almost choked on his brandy: "He's what? But you two hardly know each   
other."  
  
Buffy smiled at him: "Didn't you tell me you knew you loved my mother at the very first sight?"  
  
Her father sighed loudly: "It seems I wasn't very careful with my words. But yes, it's true. Alright, so he loves you."  
  
"And I love him," she added. "Very much. In fact our love for each other is the   
reason why we both do have our souls." She smiled at Whistler repeating the wordshe'd said to her on their way to her father's house.  
  
"Buffy I," Giles leaned forward and took his daughter's hand: "It's not that I   
don't understand love, but this is all a bit much for me."  
  
"I know," she replied softly. "Of course this is a lot. It's a lot for me too.   
But I really love him, father."  
  
He leaned back again and looked at the vampire couple in front of him, trying to   
digest all the information he'd received tonight. He watched the man taking his   
daughter's hand and kissing it with so much love and admiration in his eyes that   
it suddenly wasn't important anymore what he was. He had never told his daughter, but silently Giles had already thought about the match between her and Riley. He had felt that there wasn't any love between them, at least not on Buffy's side. His daughter was a very mature girl, very smart and seemed to know what she wanted. So he threw all his prejudice and doubts out of the window and gave her a warm smile: "Whatever makes you happy, my dear."  
  
Buffy felt tears welling up in her eyes: "Oh father," she breathed and blinked to stop the tears from falling. She was about to hug Giles when suddenly Riley   
stepped forward.  
  
"This is bullshit," he yelled. "Are you all mad! Buffy," he groaned, "the Buffy I knew was my fiancée. This," he pointed at the blonde disgustedly, "is not her.   
It's some kind of monster."  
  
"Don't you dare calling her a monster," Angel jumped up and was about to approach the other man, when Buffy's hand on his arm held him back. He looked down at her and saw her shake her head in the negative.  
  
"She's a monster," Riley wasn't about to let it go. "And you're too. You can have her. I wouldn't touch this ... thing, even if you paid me for it." With this he turned and left the room. Only a second later the front door was slammed shut.  
  
Whistler took himself a glass of brandy and looked at the other three in the   
room: "Now, after the annoying person's left we can hopefully discuss the   
important things like grown ups."  
  
*******  
  
Spike bolted upright in his bed when he heard a sound in the room. His slowly   
adjusting eyes focussed on Drusilla who was dancing around the room humming to   
herself. The blond vampire got up and took her arm: "What's it love?"  
  
"The stars are talking to me," she replied, her eyes seemed far away.  
  
He sighed: "And what are they telling you?"  
  
Suddenly her voice became whiny: "My Daddy, he's gone ... uhhhhh ... oh Spikey,   
my Daddy," she broke down and fell to the floor.  
  
"What's about him?," he asked trying to sound concerned while he was grinning   
inwardly.   
  
"He's taken away from us. His heart sings for her, the girl, the one he was crazy about." She began to rock herself back and forth on the ground, encircling her body with her arms. "Ohhhh, Spike, bring him back to me, bring him back to   
Princess."  
  
"I cannot do that," he kneeled down beside her and wrapped an arm around her   
shoulder. "It's his decision, pet. Angelus doesn't let anyone command him and you know that."  
  
The same second the door flung open: "Did she have a vision?," Darla was staring   
at the couple on the ground.  
  
"Daddy, my daddy's gone," Drusilla whined. "And my Spike says he cannot bring him back."  
  
The blonde vampiress studied the dark-haired girl's face and then a smile spread   
across her face: "Don't worry my dear. I'll bring him back. I promise."  
  
With this she left the room again and Spike stared at the closed door for a   
moment, groaning inwardly. It seemed as if he had to intervene again. No peace   
for a vampire these days.  
  
  
Part 10  
  
Riley Finn slammed the door shut and stepped out into the dark streets of London. This was just not happening, he thought. It had to be a nightmare or worse. Vampires! The girl he was meant to marry all his life was a vampire. And on top of this she even said she was in love with another one. Well, it was only   
logical, two vampires in love seemed fitting, although it was ridiculous on the   
whole of course.   
  
He was a soldier, he'd been on the battlefield, he'd killed enemies, he'd always   
thought he was a brave sort of man but seeing the face of his fiancée contort into something not very human had been like a punch into his stomach. And much to his annoyance he'd realised the feeling was plain fear. Of course he'd read about vampires, there were stories about them, stories of the fairytale-kind. Children had nightmares, woman fainted if vampires were mentioned and gothic circles tried to communicate with them, but this. This was just not happening!!   
  
The other thing was that he couldn't talk with his buddies about this. His   
friends would laugh in his face or - in the worst case scenario - lock him away.   
Seeing a little stone on the pavement he skipped it away with his foot not   
looking out for his way only to bump into someone. Raising his head he stared   
into the eyes of a blonde woman who smiled at him. There was something in her   
eyes he couldn't place, it was a certain expression: "I'm sorry, Miss," he said.  
  
She raised a brow: "Well, I'm not." Her voice had a flirtatious note and Riley's eyes widened in surprise. She didn't look like a hooker but she surely talked like one. "Mr. Finn," she laughed when she saw the expression of pure confusion on his face now. "You don't know me, but I know you. I will explain soon, but for now it just seems as if we've both lost something."  
  
*******  
  
"So Mr. ... er ... Whistler, what you're saying is that Mr. ... er ... Angel here and my daughter are meant to hunt vampires?," Giles rubbed his glasses with the hem of his shirt which made his daughter laugh inwardly. He only did this when he was highly confused.  
  
"That's it in a nutshell," the demon nodded and leaned against the wall near the   
door. "Buffy and Angel here are meant to hunt vampires - together."  
  
"Father," the blonde stood up, walked over to Giles' chair and kneeled down in   
front of him, "do you believe me that I love Angel?."  
  
He looked into his daughter's face and nodded: "Yes, I do." He let out a short   
laugh, "I can hardly believe I'm saying this, but the way you both look at each   
other is very assuring. Although I'd like to know more about you," he looked at   
the dark-haired vampire.  
  
"And you will," Angel assured him quickly. "I will answer any question you might   
have. As honestly as possible. I love your daughter, Sir Giles." He smiled at   
Buffy, "More than I thought possible. She gave me a new life, a second chance if   
you want to see it that way, and I'm planning to grabb it, with her ... if she   
still wants me."  
  
Their eyes locked and Buffy held out a hand for him which he took immediately.   
This little gesture was so intimate, so full of love that Giles had to blink. Not in his wildest dreams he'd imagined his daughter to find a love like this. He even forgot about the fact that she was a vampire for a moment. "You have my   
blessings," he said, his voice loaded with emotion. "All I ever wanted," he took   
his daughter's other hand, "was for you te be happy. What you obviously are. So   
who am I to deprive you of that."  
  
"Oh father," Buffy squeezed his hand tightly and then moved back to sit beside   
Angel.   
  
"Alright," Whistler pushed himself away from the wall and looked at the couple.   
"I'm sure Angel will tell you all about how to live and behave like a vampire but I'm here for a purpose too. And this is to teach you how to kill other vampires."  
  
"Staking, beheading, fire or daylight," Angel replied with a slight grin,   
"Whistler my demon wasn't very fond of his own kind. He killed more of them you'd imagine."  
  
"Oh I know," the demon made a gesture with his hand, "don't forget they," he   
looked at the ceiling, "see everything. No, what I mean it, how you kill them and stay alive yourselves. It wouldn't make much sense if you'd be dusted in the   
process. And this is where this comes in handy," he pulled something out of his   
pocket and held it out in front of the vampires' faces.   
  
"Nice jewelry," Buffy remarked and took on of the gems dangling on chains before   
them in her hands. "What is it?"  
  
"It's called the Gem of Amarra or well, the whole thing is called the Gem of   
Amarra. These are only pieces of it."  
  
********  
  
"Spike come back to bed," Drusilla looked at her lover with annoyance and patted   
the spot beside her. "I'm up to it," she changed her face into a seductive   
expression while her index-finger trailed a way between her breasts leaving no   
room for imagination what it was she was up to.  
  
"Not now," Spike barked and turned away from her. He could feel the flesh between his legs responding to her immediately and it just wasn't the time for this. "Give me some piece," he added. "I have to think."  
  
"But I want you here," she pouted. "And I want my Daddy back. He's gone too long. He's with her. I hate her."  
  
Spike sighed loudly and turned towards his lover: "Can you please stop talking   
about him for a moment. It makes my head ache." He was desperately trying to   
figure out a way to stop Darla, but annoyingly enough he didn't even know where   
she went. And Dru was no help either of course. This moment he wanted her to   
vanish, to disappear from his life, but the same instant he knew he'd never   
wanted to live without her. He seemed doomed to love her.   
  
He had to find a way to stop Darla, Drusilla's madness was one thing but her   
permanent obsession with her sire was another and he would be damned if he would   
let him come back into their lives. "Stay here Pet," he said while he grabbed his duster, "I'll be back in some hours." There was something he had to do now, he didn't like the idea that was forming in his head but to hell it was the only one he could figure.  
  
*******  
  
"The Gem of Amarra," Angel stared at Whistler with awe in his eyes.   
  
"That's it my boy," the demon assured the vampire.   
  
"Okay, I know I'm maybe missing something, but you both look as if this was the   
eighth world wonder. For me it just looks like some pretty gems on two chains."   
Buffy looked back and forth between the two men and then her eyes were resting on her father: "Do you understand that?"  
  
"The Gem of Amarra," Angel stood up and paced the room, "is said to have magic   
power. A vampire wearing it or parts of it is said to be unkillable."  
  
"Like never to die?," Buffy's eyes were wide.  
  
"Exactly," Whistler confirmed. "And that's the reason I have those," he took on   
chain in each of his hands and held it out to Buffy and Angel, "for you. You   
don't have to be afraid. They cannot be stolen. They're magically bound. The   
moment you have them on your necks they cannot be removed by anyone but   
yourselves. There's only one thing. Your two souls are bound by love. The love   
you're feeling for each other. If one of you should ever stop loving the other   
you would loose your souls. As a result the gems will destroy themselves because   
as you certainly understand it's much too dangerous to have a soulless vampire   
running around wearing this." He walked over to the brandy and poured himself   
another glass. There was certainly something about earthly desires he told   
himself. "Now put them on, kids."  
  
Exchanging a short glance the two vampires put the chains on. "It doesn't feel   
any different," Buffy looked at Whistler.  
  
"It will the moment someone tries to stake you, you'll see," he replied with a   
grin. "Oh boy, I would love to see this. It must be fun to see the look at your   
opponent's face that moment. Thinking he's killed you and you'll be laughing in   
his face."  
  
*********  
  
Darla stood leaning to a wall, her arms crossed in front of her chest and waited, her eyes never leaving the man laying on the ground. Riley Finn had been very interested in what she'd told him. She'd counted on it and grinned inwardly --- humans were just so predictable.   
  
The same moment Riley stirred and groaned opening his eyes. In seeing Darla   
standing above him he grinned.   
  
She grinned back and tilted her head: "Hello my childe," she said extending a   
hand to help him up. So far her plan was working excellently.  
  
  
to be continued...  



	2. Part 11-End

Your Love - Part 11  
  
"What's going to happen now," Giles looked at his daughter and her ... was it her lover? He sighed inwardly, this was the strangest situation he had himself ever gotten into. But in a very odd way he did approve of the relationship of the two people in his room. Was it the way his daughter's eyes would lighten up every time she looked at Angel?  
  
"What do you mean?," Buffy frowned.  
  
"He wants to know, what's going to happen with the two of us," Angel said with a   
smile. "And the answer is yes. I intend to marry your daughter. Of course we   
cannot be married in a church, but there are other ... uhm ... possibilities."  
  
Giles nodded, "Good to hear." Then his eyes shifted to Whistler, "And I suppose   
you're going to be the best man?"  
  
"So far nobody's asked me," the demon grinned.  
  
The dark-haired vampire was about to answer when they heard a knock on the door.   
Giles rose to answer it and was about to invite the visitor in, when Angel's   
voice stopped him, "You're certainly not expecting to be invited into this   
house."   
  
"Bloody hell, no." Spike shook his head and then grinned, "But you're in and he's still alive. To hell, whatever happened to you mate?"  
  
"None of your business," his grand-sire snapped. "Sir Giles," he turned to his   
future father-in-law - talk about strange things he thought - "This creature is a vampire as well. First law, never invite anyone into your house. Not with words, not with a gesture, at least not after darkness." He shifted back to the blonde vampire on the doorstep, "What do you want?"  
  
Spike raised a brow, "Want? I came to make a deal with you."  
  
"Is that so? Talk."  
  
"Well, it's a little uncomfortable out here. I've eaten already," he said.  
  
"Doesn't matter, you'll be hungry again tomorrow. Go on, talk. I'm starting to   
get annoyed with you."  
  
"Angel what ...," Buffy joined the men at the door and tilted her head seeing the new face there.  
  
Spike's eyes were wandering up and down and then he smiled, a slow, sensual,   
vampiric smile, "I see. Well, can't blame you. She's more class than Darla,   
that's for certain."  
  
His grand-sire merely shook his head, "Buffy, this is William or Spike as he   
calls himself now. He's my ... er ... grand-childe and deeply annoying. Spike   
meet Buffy, she's my mate. So hands off and would you now talk."  
  
"Talk, oh yes, talk," the blonde vampire nodded after a last glance at the petite blonde. "Darla's really pissed mate. So there's my deal. I'll help you to get rid of her and in exchange you stay away from Dru and me."  
  
Angel let out and exasperated sigh, "I'm not interested in Drusilla."  
  
"Maybe. But she's sure as hell interested in you. It's an obsession and I don't   
like to compete."  
  
"And how exactly do you intend to help us?," Buffy asked looking at him.  
  
*******  
  
Darla stormed through the door of her lair with Riley in tow and was surprised to find Drusilla there on her own.   
  
"Where the hell is William," she shouted.   
  
As expected her response was a whining sound from the insane vampiress who was   
sitting on the ground clutching her head.  
  
"Who's she?," Riley wanted to know.  
  
"That my childe," she patted his head, "is our Drusilla. Angelus did a fine job   
on her, but still she can be very useful. She's psychic. Means she can see   
things."  
  
The newly made vampire merely shook his head. Psychic, what nonsense. "Why are   
you so nervous," he asked his sire.  
  
"Because that slippery weasel William isn't around and I don't like it. He's not   
the brightest sort of vampire, but if he's going behind one's back it can be   
very uncomfortable."  
  
"And why didn't you try to get rid of him," Riley asked with a grin. Killing was   
so appealing all of a sudden. He'd just had his first meal. A blonde hooker,   
she'd tasted wonderful and her screams had just been the right addition to turn   
him on. Now all he needed to be completely satisfied was a healthy portion of   
sex, but Darla didn't seem to be interested in him that way and Drusilla, well to be honest he wasn't really attracted to someone who needed strong mental care.  
  
"Because we need him to keep her," she pointed at the dark-haired vampiress, "in   
check. Angelus could do it as well, but he doesn't like it. He's a very   
headstrong boy," she smiled and licked her lips. "You'll like him. He's lots of   
fantasy. You'll learn a lot from him about torture and pain."  
  
"My Spike," Drusilla suddenly cried and began to rock back and forth on the   
ground. "Ohhhhh."  
  
"What do you see?," Darla crouched down beside her, touching her shoulder.  
  
"He's with my Daddy. I see him talking to my Daddy. Oh my Angel," she whined.   
  
"Who's Spike?" Riley wanted to know.  
  
Darla made an impatient gesture with her hand. She was already doubting if it had been such a good idea to make that annoying guy a vampire. "It's William. He's got a thing for calling himself Spike these days." At least she had to keep up the appearances, she needed Riley - for a while. "Anything else?," she turned   
towards Drusilla again.  
  
"No," she shook his head. "But he'll come back to me. He isn't lost like my Daddy and her. Their hearts stink of love for each other ... it's so disgusting."  
  
Darla sighed and got up again, "Spike and Angelus ... I don't like it. Don't like it at all." She looked at Riley. "Come on then."  
  
"What? We just came back," he protested.  
  
"There's a change of plans, my childe. You get to see your former fiancée sooner   
than you'd expected."  
  
  
Part 12  
  
"I think your father took everything pretty well," Angel said some hours  
later when he and Buffy were alone in the guest room of her father's house.  
  
"I can hardly believe it," she agreed. "He was even alright with the  
fact that you and I will stay together for the rest of the night," she added   
quite shyly.  
  
"Buffy," he reached out for her and took her tiny hand in his large one.  
"I know this is a lot for you to take in. And although I can't think of   
anything more wonderful than to spend eternity with you, you should know that   
I'll be eternally sorry you had to experience this."  
  
"This?," she asked not quite understanding what he meant.  
  
"Becoming a vampire I mean. It's ... I never planned," he paused and took an  
unnecessary breath, "The demon did plan it. Killing you, I mean. Then turning  
you, but I...," his voice broke and he just shook his head, not able to find   
any words for the shame he felt right now.  
  
"It's okay," she said softly and moved to his side, leaning her head  
against his shoulder. "You didn't do it."  
  
"No. But without me, Darla wouldn't have had any cause to act on you."  
  
"That's wrong and you know it," she closed her eyes enjoying the feeling  
of being so near to him. "You have to accept that you are not your demon   
although you share the memories which is pretty unfair to me." She could hear him chuckle slightly and had to smile, "But," she continued, "I can understand why. Whistler explained it to us, that you had to carry them so you can understand what's going on inside a vampire. It'll help us."  
  
"But you will never have a real life. Never any children, no husband, no  
home," he sighed, "not a human one that is."  
  
"So what?," she turned her head to look at him, "I had everything you talk   
about right in front of me and you know what? I didn't look forward to it. I  
didn't enjoy the idea of playing the nice, caring housewife by Riley Finn's  
side. I would've done it because I thought I had to honour my parents' wishes,  
but it wasn't what I wanted to do." She held his large hand between hers. For  
the first time she realised how cold they were. Funnily enough it wasn't an  
uncomfortable coldness, but it was something she had to get used to. "I already told you I wanted to see different countries, learn languages and now I can do it. We don't even have to fear the sunlight." She glanced at the little gem on the chain at her neck, "thanks to Whistler and this we can almost live like a normal couple."  
  
"But what about...," he began but was silenced when she laid a finger on his  
lips.  
  
"You mean children? Well, maybe there'll come a day when I'm going to  
miss them, but all we can do is deal. We should try and look on the bright side of this. We're going to spend eternity together." She gave him a sweet smile and kissed him on the cheek.  
  
"How can a person so young be so wise?", he asked with a lopsided smile.  
  
"I don't know," she replied. "But you'll have to live with it. According to  
Whistler you're stuck with me."  
  
"Am I?," now his lips curved a bit more into a smile.  
  
"Hmmm," she grinned. "You realise we're alone together in a room?"  
  
"Buffy...,"  
  
"No, don't say it. Maybe I'm a wicked woman, but I want you. Hey, I'm a vampire now. Who cares about rings and vows, and didn't you tell my father you're going to marry me?"  
  
He had to laugh at that, "I didn't even propose to you."  
  
She shrugged, "You will." She sounded very convinced. "But for now, I'm quite  
content with you by my side. I love you, Angel. By the way I really like that  
name. Sounds sweet, much better than Liam. More melodic."  
  
"Does it now?," his voice became low, sensual, "well, before the night is over  
you're going to whisper it, cry it, shout it ... out of pleasure." He leaned  
towards her and caught her lips in a sweet kiss.  
  
"Is that a promise?," she asked a bit breathlessly, when their lips finally  
parted.  
  
"You bet on it."  
  
******  
  
"Drusilla," Spike looked at his lover who was sitting on their bed when he  
returned to their lair.  
  
"My Spike. You came back."  
  
"Obviously," he replied a little bit annoyed. He didn't like the fact that   
Darla wasn't there. "Where's the bitch?," he asked.  
  
"They left," the dark-haired vampiress informed him.  
  
He raised a brow, "They?"  
  
"Hmmm. She brought a new childe."  
  
"Excuse me?," Spike approached his lover and took her hand. "Drusilla look at  
me!," he commanded, "What are you talking about."  
  
"I didn't like him. He didn't like me either. But he knows my Daddy," she gazed at him with wide-eyes. "I saw you then. In my mind. You saw my Angel."  
  
"Dru, listen to me," he grabbed at her shoulders. "Did you tell Darla  
about it?"  
  
"Hmmm," was her only reply.  
  
He pushed her back on the bed, "Damn," growled. "Damn, damn. This isn't good.   
No, not good at all." He took an unnecessary breath, "Alright, luv. So she knows   
I met with Angelus, right. Well, why not. He's my grand-sire after all. But then  
she knows I hate the bugger," he was talking to himself now, desperately  
trying to find a solution for his problem. Darla was a bitch, but she was a  
clever one and the fact that she knew about his meeting with Angelus would   
raise her suspicion. But to make his plan work she had to trust him. He needed a  
plan and he needed it fast. Before she would be back.  
  
And the hell what childe did she bring with her? So she made a new one. This   
was odd. Usually Darla was very picky with her childer, she hadn't made a vampire for ages. Something was going on and he didn't like the fact that he didn't know what.  
  
******  
  
"Are you alright?," Angel asked the girl laying naked next to him, firmly   
wrapped in his arms.  
  
"Better than that," she said sleepily. "I always wished for my first time to be good, but I didn't expect this. It was wonderful."  
  
He chuckled in response, but didn't say anything.  
  
"You probably had a lot of practice," she said after a while. "You know. How to make a girl feel happy." Her voice was steady, but he could hear the tinge of  
jealousy in it.  
  
He sat up in bed and looked down at her, "Buffy," he gently stroked her cheek  
with his knuckles, "I don't know what to say to this. Yes, there have been   
other women, lots of them actually. A demon isn't very picky about sex." He  
paused for a moment and added, "Any kind of sex." When he saw she was listening attentively he continued. "But this ... you and me ... is different from everything I've experienced in my long life. I've never been in love before. Not even when I was human. I was a drunken bastard with a thing for one-night-stands in my time."  
  
He paused again and searched her eyes, they were clear and watching him, but he   
found no sign of judgement there, so he went on, "You were a virgin before   
tonight, but in a certain way, you might not understand, I was too. For me it was the first time to make love to a woman. To put her wishes before mine. And I didn't do it because it was different, but because you're important to me. Because your feelings are more important to me than my own." He smiled and  
touched her lips with his thumb. "I love you so much. I never thought something like that existed. Something so beautiful, so perfect. I can't even imagine being without you anymore." He shook his head and let out a short laugh, "I always thought I was good with words, but tonight I suck."  
  
"No," she shook her head, "not at all. It was beautiful." She smiled, sat up as well and cupped his face in her hands, "and I understand about you being a  
virgin. I love you too. So very much. Love me, Angel. Please love me and never  
let me go."  
  
  
Part 13  
  
Angel's eyes shot open and he tried to control the uneasy feeling that had woken   
him with a start. The last second he stopped the growl forming in his throat.   
Quickly glancing to his side he saw that his mate was still asleep, curled up in   
his arms, pillowing her head in the crock of his arm. Despite the danger he felt   
gripping him he had to smile. She looked so innocent and beautiful - how he loved   
her.   
  
That instantly made him snap back into reality. Darla was near. The feeling of   
her being close was to familiar to him to be mixed up with anything else. His   
first instinct was to get out of the house and meet her, but he remembered   
Whistler's words about his destiny and looked at Buffy again. He couldn't risk   
getting hurt. They were bound together for eternity. Leaning over he gently   
kissed her on her forehead and slightly shook her shoulders, "Buffy," he   
whispered into the darkness. Well, darkness for humans, vampires could see just   
fine.  
  
"Hmmm," she made but didn't open her eyes.  
  
He chuckled, she obviously wasn't a person getting up easy.  
  
"My love," he kissed her again and her lips responded immediately. One hand came   
up, pulling his head closer, deepening the kiss. He smiled into her mouth and   
carefully pulled back. "Sorry, love, but now isn't the time."  
  
One eye opened and her lips formed an almost irresistible pout, "Not fair," she   
mumbled into the sheets.  
  
"I'm sorry," his voice was soft. "I'd prefer this too, but Darla is outside."  
  
Now both eyes opened and she looked at him with concern in her beautiful eyes,   
"How do you know?"  
  
"I can feel her," he told her simply, not wanting to elaborate his long   
relationship to his sire.  
  
"Oh," was her only reaction, and after a moment "she was your lover, wasn't she," she asked.  
  
"No," he shook his head and when he saw her incredulous gaze he explained, "she   
was the demon's lover. Never mine. I would never touch her." His lips twitched   
into a smile, "I'm addicted to you, don't you know?"  
  
"Good," her smile grew. "So she's outside," she shifted until she sat upright on   
the bed beside him. "And what?"  
  
"She's watching us," he slipped from the bed and Buffy would've blushed furiously hadn't she been a vampire. She hadn't really looked at him before and now he was moving around in her bedroom - completely naked and totally unashamed. He's probably used to it, she thought. There's really a lot I have to learn, was the next thing that came to her mind.  
  
"She doesn't even try to hide," his voice interrupted her thoughts and she turned her head to look towards the window where he was standing now in the light of the full moon. God, he was beautiful. Like one of the statues she'd seen in the National Museum. One could develop an inferiority complex.   
  
"You mean she just stands there?," she asked surprised.  
  
"Yeah," he replied and glanced towards the bed. "Come and look," he invited   
reaching out a hand.  
  
Did he expect her to walk over naked as well, she wondered. He probably did, but   
she wasn't ready for it so she wrapped herself into the bed-sheet and joined him   
at the window. There she stood. The vampiress she'd only seen once before. In the dark alley when she'd made Buffy into a vampire. It hit her now, she was not only Angel's sire but hers too. "It's strange," she said, "she's my sire but I feel absolutely nothing for her."  
  
"You never lost your soul," he replied as if it would explain everything. And   
somehow it did.  
  
Buffy could see the vampiress talking to someone behind her and when the person   
stepped into the light of the street lamp she gasped. "God, that's ... that's..."  
  
"Riley," Angel finished for her. "She was busy it seems."  
  
"Yes," she whispered and leaned towards him. He wrapped her in his arm and pulled her close. Even from the distance she could see Darla's features contorting with jealousy. She immediately vamped out, turned and hit Riley square over his face. "She's angry."  
  
"Oh yes," he confirmed. "Very. Darla is very obsessive with my demon. Seeing me   
here together with you ...," he shrugged, "she doesn't like it. But I really   
don't care."  
  
Buffy had to smile at his words, "Good," she said and kissed him on his chest.   
Looking up to him, she whispered, "Because you're mine now."  
  
One of his eyebrows shot up and a grin played around his mouth, "Possessive all   
of a sudden?"  
  
She shrugged, "Must be the vampire in me," she smiled. "Kiss me. Let's give her a reason to be jealous."  
  
"You're a bad girl," he scolded playfully but obliged. Their lips met and Darla   
was forgotten in an instant. Wrapped up in passion they sunk to the floor.  
  
*****  
  
"I will kill her," Darla shouted in uncontrolled rage. How dare she! And Angelus! Her most favourite childe, her lover. He was hers and he was with that ... that girl now. Usually she wasn't really jealous when he went to have his fun with other women, but there hadn't been a real reason to be. None of them ever meant anything to him. But this girl was special. She'd felt it the moment the whole story had begun. He was more than obsessed with her. And he didn't even try to hide it. The possessive way he'd put his arm around her shoulder... she didn't want to think about it, but the image wouldn't leave her mind.  
  
Riley wiped his face and licked the blood from his fingers. Blood, he wanted   
blood, more blood. Darla had just introduced him to the new world, but now she   
was neglecting him for this jerk. And Buffy, his Buffy wasn't even ashamed to   
kiss this man in her room in front of his eyes. She would pay for it as would   
Angel. Darla and he had more in common than she knew. "I'm hungry," he said and   
looked at his sire.  
  
"Hungry?," she echoed. "Then go and find yourself something to eat, I'm not your   
nurse, you know. I made you, but that doesn't mean I have to care for you."  
  
"Fine," he shot back. "See you later." With this he turned and disappeared into   
the darkness.  
  
"God," Darla groaned when he was gone, "what a nuisance. Can't even care for his own food." She rolled her eyes and shook her head. She would keep him for a while and then stake him. At the moment she could use him, but she wouldn't bother with an idiot like him for eternity.   
  
Involuntarily her eyes wandered back to the window where she'd seen both her   
childer only some minutes before. Hot rage consumed her when she thought what   
they probably did right now. They would pay. She would kill the girl and torture   
Angelus for a while. And she would make him watch while his precious new toy   
died, she decided. And then, if he'd suffered enough she would open her arms and   
welcome him back at her bosom. Yes, she liked the image and a moan escaped her   
throat thinking of his cool tongue all over her. Yes, she would get him back!   
Laughing out loud she walked into the direction where Riley had just disappeared   
before. Maybe she could join him for the meal after all.  
  
*****  
  
Spike stood behind the bushes and chuckled. Angelus certainly knew how to make a   
woman angry. Darla was fuming right now. And Spike was happy. An angry vampire   
was a careless vampire. Well, that would make his plan easier. He just had to   
talk to his annoying grand-sire again. But then, he shrugged inwardly, if his   
plan worked, it would be the last he'd seen of him, and for that he'd do almost   
everything. Grinning he followed Darla into the darkness.  
  
*****  
  
"Are you alright?," Angel asked for the second time this night.  
  
"Hmmm," came her reply. The pleasure was evident in her voice, when she spoke,   
"This was the best so far."  
  
He chuckled against her body. His head was buried between her breasts his arms   
firmly wrapped around her. "Glad you approve of me."  
  
"Oh, I do," she said smiling. "You're certainly good at that."  
  
"And how do you know?," he asked and looked up at her. "I know first hand you had nothing to compare me to."  
  
She shrugged slightly, "Girls talk. And there are certain poems, but you know   
what. It's all not true. This," she smiled at him, "is so much better." A happy   
sigh escaped her mouth. "I think I get used to it."  
  
"That's good because I'm addicted already," he told her with a grin.  
  
"But I'm tired now," she said, her eyes closing.   
  
"Don't you think, the bed would be more comfortable than the floor?," he asked   
but she didn't answer anymore. She was already fast asleep. With a low chuckle he shifted and scooped her in his arms. Sliding with her under the covers he pulled her to him and closed his eyes as well. And Darla was forgotten for the night  
  
  
Part 14  
  
  
He'd always hated Angelus. He hadn't liked him on first sight, because for   
Spike's taste he was to damned good looking. The moment however he'd realised   
Dru's obsession with her sire, Spike was outright pissed. It wasn't very likely   
for a vampire to feel like this, like being in love, but he felt that way,   
period. The days Dru would slip from their room to visit her sire he felt like   
killing something and most of the time it was exactly what happened. He would   
leave their lair as soon as the sun had set and find some ignorant human who was   
an easy victim.   
  
It were these nights when Spike was doubting all his soul had left his body the   
night Dru had made him a vampire. Because even while sucking some human dry the   
pictures of Dru and Angelus wouldn't leave his mind.   
  
So all in all he hated the bugger, but to find his peace he had to grit his teeth and go through with it. And in a way his grand-sire was different. First of all he'd never seen Angelus being civil with humans before. It wasn't like him, to stand peacefully beside them. Usually he would already inflict his century experience of torture on them.   
  
He'd always been the inventive one when it was about torturing captives. He was   
probably the only vampire Spike knew that didn't get his kick from the kill. For   
Angelus it was nothing more than a necessity to survive. What really turned him   
on was the way to go there, to make his victims scream, to see them sweat with   
fear and terror. To smell these emotions on humans was like a drug for him.  
  
He was a master of playing with human emotions what made Spike think about him as a human for a moment. He'd probably been someone with a fragile soul,   
compassionate and capable of great love, but easy to break, open for hurt. Often   
in vampires these things reversed to the opposite.   
  
His special qualities were the reason all the women were so obsessed with him and his good looks of course. Angelus had once - under the influence of alcohol - confided in him how his human self had been a favourite amongst women. And   
becoming a vampire had certainly not lessened his attractiveness. God, he hated the bugger! He'd spent the whole day listening to Dru's whining, crying out for 'her Angel' in her dreams. She never cried out of 'her William' or 'her Spike'.  
  
With a growl Spike kicked some stone over the pavement and shook his head. But   
obsession or not, he loved his dark princess, he couldn't think of being with   
anyone else. Their love was meant for eternity and in moments of sanity Dru had   
repeatedly told him she loved him too. Whatever that meant for a vampire like   
her. But it had to be true up to a certain extent, because she'd made him her   
childe after all.  
  
Looking up he realised he'd reached his destiny, the house of Rupert Giles,   
father of the girl Angelus favoured at the moment. And oddly enough she didn't   
seem afraid of him. With a deep inward sigh he knocked and raised a brow when he   
saw said girl standing in the doorway, but something was odd about her. And then   
his eyes widened in surprise and understanding, "You're a vampire," he exclaimed   
and had to laugh, "oh that bugger always knew how to do it."  
  
"Good evening to you too, Spike," Buffy gave him a saccharine smile. "Angel told   
me everything about you, so cut all this nonsense."  
  
"Did he now?," Spike grinned. This was just fun now. "And he goes by Angel now,   
that's new."  
  
"Yes, he did and yes he does, answering both your questions," came Angel's voice   
from behind his mate and a second later he stood in the doorway too. "So, what do you want?"  
  
"I came to tell you that Darla ...," he stopped in mid-sentence and his jaw   
almost hit the floor, "hell, I can't believe it." He pointed at the matching   
necklaces Buffy and Angel were wearing, "if that isn't the Gem of Amarra. Bloody   
hell, where did you get them?"  
  
"None of your business," his grand-sire was about to loose his patience with him. "So what about Darla? She was here last night you know."  
  
"Yeah," his grand-childe nodded. "I was too. Nice performance," he said towards   
Buffy who bit her lips to prevent herself from giggling. She had been a well   
educated girl of the London society for some years now, until some days ago, but   
somehow she liked it better this way.   
  
"She was furious," Spike grinned.  
  
"I bet," Angel leaned against the doorframe.   
  
"She knows about you and I," his grand-childe informed him. "Dru had a vision and told Darla."  
  
"I see," the dark-haired vampire shrugged, not overly impressed. He knew Darla   
and he wasn't afraid of her and especially not now being protected by the Gem of   
Amarra. "Anything else?"  
  
Spike narrowed his eyes and studied the other vampire's face. "Something's   
different about you mate," he stated after a moment. "Something ... it's," he   
shook his head and then suddenly his eyes widened, "It's your eyes. Both of you.   
It's almost ... God, that's disgusting you know. You have a soul, mate! You and   
the girl, you have souls," he shouted and stepped back. "My own grand-sire, the   
Scourge of Europe has a soul." He ran a hand through his hair, "I don't believe   
it. I'm going to be the laughing stock of the whole vampire community. One of my   
ancestors has a soul."  
  
"You can stop now, William," Angel said after a moment, "we all got it."  
  
"Stop?," his grand-childe wasn't about to calm down. But then another thought   
entered his mind, "thinking about it, you having a soul makes you much more   
reliable, I'd say. Your soulless version wasn't a real team-player."  
  
"No," Angel sighed involuntarily and rubbed his forehead with his fingers. "I   
should probably tell you that we're not the usual vampires anymore." Seeing Buffy looking at him oddly, he gave her a sheepish smile before turning back to his grand-childe, "And don't ask me why I'm doing it. You were a real pain in my   
...," he trailed off, but went on a second later, "Anyway. Our destiny is to hunt vampires, for that purpose we got these," he pointed at the necklaces. "They protect us."  
  
"Don't I know it," Spike shook his head, still unable to believe the fact that   
the great Angelus had disappeared all of a sudden. He felt bubbles of joy rising   
inside his stomach. This was better than celebrating Christmas and birthday   
together, if he was still human, that is. Suddenly his eyes narrowed, "You're   
telling me you're going to hunt your own kind. That's even more disgusting,   
mate."  
  
"You aren't any of my kind, Spike," his grand-sire was dead serious, "not   
anymore. I have a soul and Buffy never lost hers. You're certainly not comparing   
yourself to her?," one of his brows rose. "You leave London with Drusilla, we   
take care of Darla and her new toy."  
  
"Oh you've seen him. God, he's an idiot," the younger vampire rolled his eyes,   
"you should've seen him. He's following her like a puppy. I really hated your   
soulless version, but Angelus had at least style. He was his own vampire, but   
this. Darla must be more desperate than I've noticed at first." He paused for a   
moment and then shook his head again, "Doesn't it strike you as odd that we have   
our first civil conversation for like ... ever? Maybe I'm going to like you this   
way."  
  
Angel's eyes narrowed, "Don't play games with me. This is a one time deal. If   
we'll ever run across you and Dru again, all deals are off. Then you'll be just   
the regular vampire for me and nothing will keep us from staking you or your sire   
for that matter."  
  
Spike involuntarily stepped back and raised his hands, "Alright mate. I'm going   
to get Dru out of here. Maybe ... no," he grinned, "better we never cross paths   
again. I'm going to try to stay out of your way, I'm sure we'll hear from each   
other though. Dru and I will leave tonight. I've planned everything. Take care of Darla and if possible forever, because I'm not looking forward meeting her   
again. She'll be truly pissed knowing that we've worked together behind her   
back."  
  
"I'd say it was nice meeting you but the way it is ...," Angel trailed off but   
managed to smile at his grand-childe. Spike surely wasn't the usual kind of   
vampire. His affection for Drusilla was certainly more than uncommon.  
  
"No need for flattery," Spike turned towards Buffy and made a slight bow, "But it was really nice meeting you. If you'll ever get tired of him," seeing the blonde raise her brows he laughed. "No, I suppose not. Looks like true love. God, it's really disgusting. Have a good life kids." And with this and a last laugh he was gone.  
  
Buffy turned towards Angel and smiled, "He's strange, but somehow ..."  
  
He quirked a brow at her, "Don't go soft on him. He is as blood-sucking as any   
other vampire. But you're right, somehow..."  
  
Both laughed at that. Wrapping his arms around Buffy, Angel closed the door.   
  
****  
  
The vampire formerly known as Riley Finn smiled to himself. Now Darla would take   
him serious. He'd some information for her. William had made a deal with Angelus   
and the dark-haired vampire had a soul as had Buffy whatever that meant. Riley   
was to new in this to understand the deeper meaning. But certainly Darla wouldn't want him anymore now. She would be all his. He smiled and felt utterly superior. Oh yes, it was a good feeling being dead.   
  
With a whistle on his lips he made his way towards their lair. He definitely   
loved being in control.  
  
  
Part 15  
  
"So you expect to be confronted with that woman, what was her name. Oh yes,   
Darla." Giles had still problems digesting all the things he'd heard the past 48   
hours. "And didn't you say she is the vampire that made you." He looked at Angel   
who was sitting comfortably on the large sofa in Giles' library.   
  
"And me," Buffy answered in his place leaning her head against her mate's   
shoulder.  
  
"Err, yes, you too." Her father shook his head, "Somehow it's hard for me to   
believe this is real. I mean besides the fact that you can change your face   
you're still the same Buffy. You even walk in the sun...,"  
  
"Thanks to this," she gave him a smile and touched the necklace, the gem shining   
in the light of the fire that was burning in the fireplace, creating a   
comfortable atmosphere in the room.  
  
"So somehow nothing has changed, you're even going to get married soon, although   
his groom isn't the one expected," Giles glanced quickly at Angel then his gaze   
was back on his daughter.   
  
"By the way, the formerly intended is a vampire as well now," Buffy told him.  
  
"He is what?," her father straightened in his chair and his face wore a stunned   
expression.  
  
"A vampire," Angel replied. "He's another of Darla's childer. I'm not sure though why she's made him." Exchanging a glance with Buffy, he added, "usually she's more careful in her choices."  
  
******  
  
Exactly the same thoughts went through Spike's head when he hushed Drusilla to   
pack her dolls. He'd explained her they had to leave London soon and that she   
should get her things together, but quietly and in a way Darla wouldn't notice   
it. Fortunately Drusilla had one of her good periods that night and followed his   
orders without question. She even smiled at him, "I don't like Darla anyway,"   
she told him.   
  
It was only an hour before sunrise and the blonde vampiress hadn't returned to   
their lair by now. That was more than unusual for her and Spike wondered what   
could be the reason for her strange behaviour. Sure she was furious about Angel   
and his little girl but still...  
  
"Where is she?," came a voice from the doorway.  
  
Inwardly groaning Spike turned around and came face to face with the vampire that annoyed him even more than his grand-sire. "Riley," he said on a sigh. "If you're looking for Darla, she isn't around."  
  
The former soldier raised a brow, "Packing already I see," he remarked and   
stepped a bit closer.  
  
Spike slightly narrowed his eyes, "And what do you know about it?," he asked.  
  
"You should be more careful who's following you," Riley smirked. "I heard   
everything you talked with Angelus."  
  
"He goes under Angel these days," the older vampire snapped. Then he smirked as   
well, "And it seems he's got your woman."  
  
Anger welled up in the newly made vampire, "What do you know?," he shouted. "This Angelus obviously uses magic, Darla's still completely obsessed with him too."  
  
"She isn't interested in you, is she?," this was so great, Spike couldn't help   
grinning. This conversation was definitely lightening his mood. Seeing the boy   
squirm was great entertainment.  
  
Riley snorted at the older vampire and turned around. "She won't like the fact   
that you're betraying her," he said, facing Spike again. "It will be a pleasure   
to tell her. And I will ... oh no," were his last words. Only a second later   
nothing was left of him but a pile of dust.   
  
Spike stared at the spot the vampire had stood before and then a huge grin spread over his face. There stood Drusilla, the most beautiful smile on her face, her eyes shining. "Goody," she exclaimed and jumped up and down, the wooden stake firmly in her hand. "He wanted to tell Mummy. We won't have that, will we, Spike?"  
  
"No, pet, we won't have that," he replied and walked over to her.   
  
"That was fun," her smile grew even wider. "He was an annoying little brat."  
  
Spike shook his head in astonishment, then reached out and pulled her into his   
arms. "You're the best pet," he told her and kissed her soundly on her still   
smiling lips. Life was truly great.  
  
*****  
  
Darla didn't return to the lair that night. She was sick of Dru's whining, Spike   
was annoying her, she missed her favourite childe and lover and Riley was   
definitely testing her patience. What had gotten into her when she'd decided to   
turn him - if anybody asked her right now she doubted she would have the answer.   
No wonder this little girl had dumped him for Angelus. She couldn't really blame   
Buffy for it.   
  
She thought about her childe's handsome face and his skills she had enjoyed over   
hundred years and decided she definitely couldn't blame Buffy. Shaking her head   
she laughed throatily and turned her head to look at the vampire lying beside   
her, thankfully he was fast asleep. The sun was high in the sky and that made   
vampires sleepy. This particular one was over 600 years old but obviously age had nothing to do with sexual skills. But she needed him for her plans and for this she had to give him what he wanted - for now.  
  
Only the last minute she stopped the growl forming in her throat. He had chosen a silly virgin over her and still she couldn't get Angelus out of her head. She'd been a successful whore all her life, her human life that is and she'd improved her knowledge during her time as a vampire. She couldn't count the various lovers she'd had over the long years of her life or unlife until - well, until she'd chosen Angelus to be her companion. After that she'd almost been monogamous. It wasn't that she hadn't had several possibilities. She was - after all - a beautiful woman, it was just that other men or vampires didn't seem as attractive to her as they had been before.  
  
Damn Angelus for making her feel like that. Damn him for making her still wanting him, more fiercely than ever now. Maybe just because she felt he didn't want her anymore. But she would show him how much better she was than his new toy. Tonight she would close this chapter forever and he would be hers again. She didn't know what she did for nothing. And then she would feel him again.   
  
Feeling herself grow wet at that thought she looked at the vampire beside her   
again and not caring for the fact he was still asleep rolled herself on top of   
him.  
  
*****  
  
"I love you," Buffy sighed happily and snuggled deeper into Angel's embrace. The   
two lay entwined in her bed after a gentle lovemaking that almost made her cry.   
Knowing that she was still a bit sour from the night before he'd been so careful   
with her as if he'd been handling precious porcellaine.  
  
"I love you too," he replied against her temple and she could feel him smile   
against her cool skin. "I can't believe your father is so ... so relaxed about   
us."  
  
"I think he realised it's just meant to be this way. Plus the fact that you're   
promised to marry me and that I can't get pregnant of course," she planted a kiss on his chest, loving the scent of his body. How she'd ever managed to live   
without him was beyond her now. Almost unconsciously her eyes wandered to the   
little gem around his neck and she smiled in contentment. This would make sure   
nobody could take him away from her again. "I'm very happy you know," she said   
after a comfortable silence.  
  
"That makes me very happy," his voice was full of emotion. "This - us -   
overwhelms me. I never dreamt to find anything like it in my life. I feel so   
truly blessed and don't know what I did to earn it. My life wasn't..."  
  
"Shhh," she silenced him by laying two fingers over his lips. "Don't talk about   
it. You proved your worthiness when you couldn't kill me that night. You loved me even when you were supposed not be able to feel love at all. Don't you think it's pretty amazing?"  
  
"Do you know," he chuckled, "for someone so young you're very wise."  
  
"Hmmm," she made and pressed her body against his, rubbing his chin with one of   
her tiny feet and making him groan slightly in the process. "Good for you to   
notice."  
  
"I'm wise too," he joked and gritted his teeth realising she was teasing him,   
trying to arouse him. And for all her innocence she was very successful. He was   
more than ready now. "Buffy," he hissed and slapped her hand away from dangerous   
ground. "Don't do this."  
  
"Why?," she asked innocently.  
  
"I thought you were sour?," there was a mild question in his voice.  
  
"I thought so too," she replied now looking at him. "But obviously this is soon   
fading in vampires." She wiggled her eyebrows making her intentions very clear to him.  
  
Pressing his head back at the pillow he laughed and thanked God that her father   
was out of the house for a date. Then he gazed at her again, "Come here you," he   
pulled her on top of him. "I can't believe you're the same shy girl I met some   
weeks ago."  
  
In reply she just grinned and soon the world was forgotten.  
  
  
Part 16  
  
AN: Salisbury (the town mentioned in the story beside London, is quite big   
nowadays, but wasn't in the late 19th century)  
  
A cry of outrage came from Darla's throat when she entered her lair the next   
evening. She had not only spent a night and a day with some not-so satisfying   
sex, but now her lair was empty as well.  
  
It wasn't so much the vampire ashes, which proved to be the remains of her   
annoying new childe - she had thought about staking him herself already - no, but the fact that Spike and Drusilla had obviously left without telling her that   
outraged her.  
  
It was all her fault. That little virgin had caused all this trouble. She had   
disliked her before, now she hated her with all her might. First Angelus and now   
even Spike and Drusilla had deserted her. Darla narrowed her eyes. Deserted her.   
HA! Nobody did that to her. She was an old powerful vampiress, a direct   
descendent of the Master's line, her name caused fear throughout the whole   
vampire population, but of course not with Angelus.  
  
The independence, stubbornness and power, that had always thrilled her in him   
proved to be a disadvantage now. He didn't need her. Usually childer were   
addicted to their sires and for a long time she had given in to the illusion it   
was the same with him, but of course she'd known better all the time. He wasn't   
like this and since that little blonde chick had entered his life ...  
  
And even as a vampire she hadn't lost her attraction for him. "You will pay," she shouted and kicked a chair out of her way, "You will pay for taking him from me!"  
  
******  
  
Angel and Buffy couldn't care less if they had known about the threats from   
Darla's mouth. They felt safe together. They'd spent the day strolling through   
Hyde-Park, enjoying the rays of the sun and holding hands. They had even visited   
Buffy's friend Willow but of course without telling her about the vampire-part.   
There was no reason to get her into this.   
  
Her shock had been big enough when Buffy had told her that her engagement with   
Riley was off and that she would marry Angel instead. He had to chuckle at that   
thought and when he looked at the girl walking beside him he found her watching   
him. "What?," he asked.  
  
"Nothing," she smiled, "I'm just happy and all thanks to you."  
  
"Oh Buffy," he couldn't help but to be deeply moved. It was his deepest fear she   
would regret her existence one day. He hadn't made her a vampire but he sure as   
hell was responsible for her becoming one. Darla would've never noticed her if it hadn't been for him. But so far she insisted that she had never been so happy   
before in her life. And thanks to the Gem of Amarra their life was almost normal. Her father was taking everything incredibly well, maybe he was still in shock about all this and also thanks to the little gems around their necks they didn't have to fear anything.   
  
"Are you happy, Angel?," she asked after a while, looking straight ahead.  
  
"You know I am," he answered without hesitation. "I can't remember ever having   
been so happy in my life. I still have difficulties to believe this is real."  
  
She beamed, "When I met you that night. You know when I came from the bookshop. I just knew you were the one. I instantly knew that my life with Riley would be   
boring. I know that you still blame yourself for me becoming a vampire, but," she paused for a moment and glanced at him, "if nothing else it saved me from   
becoming Riley's wife. Maybe that gives you some peace."   
  
They walked for another while in silence. Darkness had fallen over the city and   
the streets were empty. Lights were shining from the big houses where the high   
society was celebrating their balls. "And you're sure you're not gonna miss   
this?," he pointed at a carriage where elegantly dressed ladies and gentlemen   
descended to attend a ball.  
  
She shook her head, "I never liked it anyway. It's so superficial. When my father and I were still living in Salisbury there weren't as many balls and receptions and I lived happily there. London is so ... so grand. I'm a country town girl, Angel."  
  
He had to grin, "Are you now? But you had big plans nevertheless. Seeing the   
world is a big step from a country town."  
  
Buffy shrugged, "Maybe, but even as a little girl I loved to hear stories about   
people who travelled the globe. I always wanted to see America. I never thought   
I'd get there ... until you came." She glanced at him again, "stop frowning,   
Angel. Maybe there'll be times when I whish to live another life, but I think   
that's something that happens to everyone. Today I'm very happy."  
  
*****  
  
Sir Giles looked up from his book when he heard someone knocking at the door.   
Glancing at the clock he frowned, who could come at that late hour? With a sigh   
he closed the book and put it on the little table beside him, then removed his   
glasses.  
  
When he opened the door he came face to face with a beautiful woman who was   
smiling at him, "Yes?," he raised a brow.  
  
"Sir Giles, what a pleasure to meet you," she replied. "I'm a friend of the young man who is living with you."  
  
"Angel?"  
  
"That's his name now? Hmm? Well, yes ... a friend of Angel's. Could I speak to   
him?"  
  
Giles unconsciously stepped back, "They aren't at home. My daughter and her   
fiancée are out for a walk," he said.  
  
"Fiancée?," and expression of pure hatred entered her eyes. "How nice," she   
remarked, her voice dripping of sarcasm. "Well," she chuckled slightly and then   
changed into her demonic features, "it seems we have to have some fun on your own   
then."  
  
Panic entered his eyes, but he remembered Angel's words and said, "You cannot   
enter demon. You are not invited here."  
  
She smiled at him through prolonged canines, "That's where you are wrong," she   
hissed.  
  
****  
  
  
Buffy and Angel had been walking the rest of the way to her house in silence.   
When they arrived there the first thing they noticed was the fact that the door   
wasn't closed. Angel tensed instantly and Buffy froze at his side. "Wh - what?,"   
she asked, her voice trembling.  
  
He just shook his head and put a finger on his lips. Vampires, his insides were   
screaming and panic crept up his spine. He had instructed Buffy's father not to   
invite anybody after dark, but he had forgotten that Buffy, who was living here,   
was a vampire now which made the house open for other vampires as well. Damn! How could he have been so careless. The Gem around his neck had lulled them into   
this, he was sure of it.  
  
Squeezing Buffy's hand he took a deep unnecessary breath, slowly pushed the door   
all the way open and froze dead in his tracks. Buffy bumped right into him.   
"What?," she whispered again.  
  
He closed his eyes already smelling what had happened here. Oh God, he thought.   
Oh sweet God, no! She doesn't deserve this. He pulled her to his side and looked   
at her, his voice grave, while she was staring at him with wide, fearful eyes,   
"Buffy. You're a vampire as well, don't you smell the blood?"  
  
If it was possible she was even paler now as usual, "B ... blood?"  
  
He nodded, "Yes. Buffy, I want you to stay here in the hall. Don't follow me," he instructed her. But when he started to walk towards the library, she clung to his harm. He closed he eyes again to gather strength and turned, "Please, Buffy. Wait here."  
  
She looked at him for a long time, then slowly nodded and let go, leaning against the wall for support. They hadn't said a word but both vampires knew what became certainty the moment Angel entered the library.   
  
There was Buffy's father laying on the ground, two puncture wounds on his neck,   
his body rigid already. It was the work of a vampire and Darla's scent was   
all-over him.   
  
  
Part 17  
  
A sob behind him made Angel snap out of his daze. Slowly turning around his gaze   
met the one of his beloved. Her eyes were wide and filled with horror, she was   
pressing her fist into her mouth to keep herself from screaming.  
  
"Oh God, Buffy, I'm so sorry," he tried to reach out for her, but she flinched   
from his touch.  
  
"Father," she whispered, tears streaming down her face. Her whole body was   
trembling and when she finally moved towards the still form of the man she'd   
known all her life she had to summon all her strength to keep herself from   
breaking down.  
  
In front of him she sunk down to her knees and her trembling hand touched his   
face. He was so still, so cold, so ..., "Oh God," she suddenly screamed and fell   
on his chest, "Papa," she cried, "Please, Papa." Her body was shaking with sobs   
and she clung to the dead body. "No, no, Papa," she repeated again and again.  
  
*  
  
It broke Angel's heart and he couldn't help but feel responsible for this as   
well. She'd lost so much in only some days and it was all connected to him. He   
wanted to touch her, comfort her, but he knew that she wouldn't let him at the   
moment. Her grief was deep and he could only stand and watch her. His soul cried   
with her and suddenly feeling weak he leaned back to the wall and closed his   
eyes.  
  
*  
  
He didn't know how long he had been standing there but he was instantly alert   
when he heard a noise from the door. He waited only a second and then with a   
quick move spun around to grab the intruder at his throat.  
  
"Oh, oh, Angel my friend, it's only me!"   
  
"Whistler," the vampire hissed through gritted teeth and let go of him. "Where   
the hell have you been? You were supposed to be here."  
  
"Had some busi...," the demon started when his eyes fell to the girl who was   
still clinging to the dead body of her father. "Oh, no, what happened?," he   
asked.  
  
"A little present from Darla," Angel replied, his voice flat.  
  
Whistler, the king of good mood and jokes, sobered instantly, "Darla did this? But how," then he slapped his forehead, "of course, a vampire is living inside this house."  
  
"W-what do you m-mean?," Buffy raised her tear-streamed face and looked at the   
two men in the room.   
  
"Buffy," slowly Angel kneeled down beside her, "when a vampire lives in a house   
it's no longer protected. Any other vampire can enter." He closed his eyes for a   
short moment, "I ... I forgot all about it. I'm so sorry."  
  
"So she just went in and killed him?," she asked, wiping her cheeks with one   
hand.   
  
"Yes," he nodded, preparing himself for her accusations, knowing he earned   
whatever she would do to him.  
  
But as she had before, she surprised him again, "I'm going to kill her," her   
voice was cold and determined.   
  
"We will," he assured her, but she shook her head.  
  
"No, Angel. You don't understand. *I* am going to kill her. You can come and   
watch, but *I* will kill her." She looked him straight into the eye and he knew   
she wouldn't discuss this. "I know we haven't talked about this so far, but now I want to know," her glance quickly flew to Whistler, then back to her lover, "I   
want you to show me how to kill a vampire."  
  
***  
  
And so they did. After taking care of all the formalities to burry her father,   
they began to train in earnest. Angel was an experienced fighter, his years when   
the demon had been in control were paying now. Angelus had always cared for his   
body and had mastered several martial arts.   
  
Now Buffy was learning too. And he showed her every possible way to kill a   
vampire. Fire. Holy Water. Decapitation. And Staking.   
  
He was amazed how well she learned, how quickly she became a master herself. They began to hunt each night and after a week she was almost as good as her lover. But what amazed him even more was the fact that she didn't blame him. Not once she accused him, for her it was no doubt that the demon and the ensouled version were two different beings.   
  
Whistler taught them all they had to know about theory. He explained a lot about   
prophecies, the different sorts of demons and many other interesting things.   
  
It was good for all of them, it kept them busy and Buffy's mind off her father's   
death, but of course they knew that the final confrontation with Darla was   
inevitable.   
  
Since the night she'd killed Sir Giles they hadn't heard from her, but Angel   
could feel she was still around. Buffy would've been able to feel it too, had she been more experienced as a vampire.   
  
After two weeks they began to search for Darla. Both wanted to have the matter   
over and done with. Buffy because she hated the vampiress with all her heart,   
Angel because he wanted nothing more than see Buffy at peace again. She was   
tossing and turning in her sleep and crying out her father's name. And again   
Angel wished he could've spared her the pain of all this. But it was too late for it and all they could do now was deal. Giving in to self-accusations and   
self-pity, so he realised, wouldn't help her. She needed him by her side now, the future was what counted, dwelling on the past wouldn't miraculously make the pain go away.  
  
And then, exactly three weeks after Sir Giles' death it happened. They had just   
dusted three younger vampires in a dark alley, when a well known voice suddenly   
called out to them. "Welcome, my children."  
  
  
Part 18  
  
Slowly the two ensouled vampires turned. They didn't look at each other but as if suddenly a link between them had been opened their minds began to silently   
communicate. They were only surprised for a second, but Whistler had already told them that something like that would happen eventually as their connection grew. It was only another proof that they were meant for each other.  
  
"Darla," Angel greeted his sire almost casually. His body seemed relaxed, but   
inside every muscle, every tendon was tense, ready to jump into action whenever   
needed.   
  
A smile played around her lips. Lips that he had once found attractive, didn't   
appeal to him anymore. It was her eyes. His demon hadn't cared for eyes but for   
Angel the empty, cold expression in them was repulsive. He even had to force   
himself to look at her without a snarl of disgust. She still had an attractive,   
sensual body, but it meant nothing to him anymore. Relief washed over him, this   
woman, this vampire was his sire and he hadn't been looking forward meeting her.   
But now he knew he could go through with it.   
  
"Angelus," she purred, only shortly glancing at Buffy who was standing beside her favourite childe. "You have been a bad boy," her voice was like silk. "Just   
leaving like this. It was cold and lonely in my bed. You know he shared a bed,   
don't you," her eyes were on the younger woman now. "We shared every possible   
pleasure for over a century. Do you really think you can hold him?" A throaty   
laughter was to be heard in the dark alley, "He might be ... infatuated with you   
for a while. He sometimes needed ... a distraction. Like Dru," she flashed Angel   
a quick smile, then narrowed her eyes when looking at Buffy again, "I have to say you have your ...," her eyes roamed the woman's body, "qualities, but ...," she shrugged and made a pitying sound.  
  
"Really, Angelus," she closed her eyes for a moment then smiled at him, a loving, forgiving smile, that left him only cold. "Did you think I wouldn't forgive you? You should've known better. We both belong together, nobody can change it. I even allow you to take her with you for a while ... as long as you want her. We could have fun together, the three of us."  
  
Buffy had to suppress a gasp. She had heard whispers about such relationships,   
but as a girl of the better society nobody had dared to talk to her about   
something like that. Books containing these things were strictly forbidden for   
women. There was certainly a lot Angel had to explain to her, because as much as   
the thought repulsed her to be touched intimately by a woman, she wanted to know   
about it. She was startled when she felt Angel chuckle inwardly and a smile   
crossed her lips. There was something to be said about telepathic communication.  
  
Darla's voice snapped them out of their connection, "No comments?," she shook her head. "I'm disappointed."  
  
"Frankly, I'm not interested at all what you are or what not," Buffy's voice was   
cold and controlled. This vampire had murdered her father, and the hatred was   
boiling inside of her, but three weeks of training had taught her not to give in. Angel had explained again and again that she mustn't allow her emotions to   
control her. In combat the first and most important rule was to stay focussed and never let emotions distract you.  
  
"Listen to her Angelus!," Darla laughed, "isn't she the feisty one." Then she   
whirled around to gaze at Buffy, her eyes sparkling with anger, " Don't you   
forget that I'm your sire, girl! I'm the one who made you what you are today.   
Don't you realise what that means? Childers are meant to pay respect to their   
sires."  
  
"I owe you nothing," Buffy replied, her voice still controlled. "You killed my   
father. And you will die for this tonight."  
  
Darla rolled her eyes and threw here hands in the air, "What is this? Yeah, I   
killed that old man. So what? I'm a vampire and kill humans, you're vampires   
too."  
  
"We're nothing like you," Angel said. "Nothing, do you hear!"   
  
"Don't bore me with that soul-crap again," she replied angrily. "I had all I can   
stand about this nonsense. Your little demon friend was already telling me, you   
remember? You really want to throw everything away only because of some pathetic, filthy soul?" She stepped closer to him, began to circle him, her hand touching him, trailing along his back. Her eyes were half-closed, her sexual intention clear and her voice hoarse and inviting, "You're sure about that? Don't you remember all the wonderful days we had? Did you forget all the fun we had together? Think about it, Angelus, is it worth trading it for a little virgin whose attraction will fade in no time." She stopped, her chin laying on his shoulder, one hand touching his chest.  
  
With a quick movement he grabbed her hands and pushed her away from him, "There   
isn't anything worth trading, Darla," he told her. "I love Buffy. She loves me.   
We have something you'll never understand. You could offer armies of lovers to me and it wouldn't change what I feel. I know, this sounds unbelievable for you, but it's the truth, accept it." Then he shrugged, "on a second thought, it's really not important if you do, because you won't have time for it. This will end tonight, Darla. Once and for all."  
  
"Well," she shook her head slightly, "somehow I knew you'd be stubborn, so...,"   
she nodded to someone behind her two childer, "I didn't came completely on my   
own."  
  
Buffy and Angel spun around and before they could even blink they were   
surrounded by about 20 vampires, who didn't look as if they'd come for a nice,   
friendly conversation.  
  
"This is my last offer," Darla said, her body-posture relaxed. She was certain   
she was in control of the situation and she was eager to show them her superior   
position. "You can both come back to me and I'll forgive everything or ...," she   
trailed off and an evil chuckle left her mouth, then she licked her lips and she   
shrugged, "well, I suppose you can guess what'll happen."  
  
"Forget about it," Buffy replied, her body fully alert.   
  
"Angelus?," Darla turned towards the dark-haired vampire, ignoring her younger   
childe completely. She wasn't interested in her at all.  
  
He just shrugged, "You heard my mate."  
  
At his last word, Darla's control snapped. Angel had fully intended it to happen, he was through with playing word-games. This had to end tonight and the sooner the better he decided. With a cry of outrage her face shifted into its demonic features and she launched an attack at Buffy, the other vampires following her swiftly.  
  
Buffy felt the claws of her sire around her throat, squeezing her windpipe and   
for the first time she was glad she didn't have to breathe anymore. Remembering   
all the things Angel had taught her throughout the last three weeks she landed a   
quick punch into Darla's stomach and the vampiress let go of her. Then with a   
roundhouse kick she pushed her even further backwards, cursing the long skirts   
which weren't the ideal clothes for fighting vampires. Buffy had already heard   
about women wearing pants and she decided that she would try to get some of them   
herself as soon as she had time to think about it.   
  
The same moment another vampire attacked her from behind, but she quickly   
produced a stake from under her skirts and he was dust in no time. Angel was   
doing good beside her. He'd staked seven vampires already and some of them even   
began to run realising they were going against someone much stronger then they.  
  
With horror in her eyes Darla watched what was happening. No, she screamed   
inwardly. The girl was fighting well, and she could see Angelus' handwriting in   
her moves. There was no doubt he had taught her how to handle herself in combat.   
Uncontrollable rage began to consume her body. He had betrayed her in more than   
one way. She could forgive his infatuation with another body, but never this.   
Never the fact that he had shared skills, she herself had taught him, with   
another.   
  
Her hands were trembling with rage when she reached for the crossbow she had   
hidden under a stone just in case. If she couldn't have him, nobody else would.   
Certainly not this little girl. She said she loved him, well then, she would   
suffer seeing him die. With a deep breath and feeling the ultimate power her   
hands steadied and slowly she pulled the trigger.  
  
Angel dusted the last vamp attacking him and seeing Buffy brushing dust from her   
skirts he gave her a quick smile. He never even saw the bolt come. It hit him out of the blue and went straight into his heart.   
  
"In the end, Angelus, I've won," Darla shouted, a triumphant expression on her   
face.   
  
Angel watched her with an odd look in his eyes and then to her horror removed the arrow with a quick movement from his chest, a smile playing around his lips, he was obviously completely unharmed.  
  
"No, Darla," Buffy's eyes were cold, and then she threw the stake. The moment the wood penetrated her sire's chest, she added, "you lost."   
  
"Noooo," the older vampire cried, but she knew it was over and only seconds later her remains drifted away with the wind, leaving her childer alone with each other in the dark alley.  
  
*  
  
Buffy was the first to move and she reached out to touch Angel's chest where the   
bolt had pierced it, "Are you okay?," she looked up and searched his eyes.   
  
He smiled, "Yes. I'm fine. Thanks to this," he pointed the little gem on his   
neck. "It didn't even hurt." Planting a kiss on her forehead he added, "It was   
rather strange though."  
  
"I bet," she replied and pressed her head against his chest, encircling his waist with her arms and holding him close. "It's over," she whispered.  
  
He slightly pulled back and put a finger under her chin so that she had to look   
at him, "Yes, but only for now. It'll never be over."  
  
"No," she nodded and sighed. "I suppose not. We're vampire hunters after all."   
Suddenly a grin appeared on her face, "But it's not half bad. I mean, hey I can   
beat them up and don't get hurt in the process and the best part is you won't get hurt either. We can go out into the sunlight, stay young forever, at least on the outside, life forever - together. Life could be worse."  
  
"Yeah," he stroked her hair. "Eternity with you. Not half-bad."  
  
"Maybe we should go home now," she suggested. "I feel tired all of a sudden."  
  
He grinned, "Do you now?"  
  
"Hmmm," she replied when they began to walk. "Well, not too tired."  
  
"Good," he grinned.  
  
"Angel?"  
  
"Hmmm?"  
  
"Did you ever think about going to America?."  
  
He stopped and looked at her, "You want to go to America?"  
  
"Yeah," she replied and continued walking. "I already told you I want to see the   
world."  
  
"So you did." There was a smile in his voice.  
  
"And there's another important fact."  
  
"And what's that?"  
  
"Some women already wear trousers there."  
  
In response he laughed.  
  
  
END  
  
That's it guys. Hope you enjoyed the ride.   



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